American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Surgery Chair Address: “Gratitude”

jpedsurg.org

The origins come from the Latin root of ‘Gratus’ which means ‘pleasing’ or ‘thankful’. Cicero (100 B.C.) considered that “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others”. In the 19th century, philosopher David Hume stated, “Ingratitude is the most horrible and unnatural of all crimes that humans are capable of committing”, putting into perspective what may happen when we are ungrateful. Many authors have suggested that the practice of gratitude is not only ancient, but part of an evolutionary natural selection - multiple primate species had a gratitude like behavior– or ‘reciprocal altruism’.

jpedsurg.org shows its articles on its own site.

Read the article on jpedsurg.org ↗

Article · Apr 2025 · 1 min read

In brief

Chair address exploring gratitude as a foundational virtue in pediatric surgery practice and medical leadership. Traces the philosophical and evolutionary roots of gratitude from ancient Rome through modern behavioral science, emphasizing its role in professional development and physician well-being.

Gratitude derives from Latin 'Gratus' meaning 'pleasing' or 'thankful'; Cicero called it the parent of all virtues.
Philosopher David Hume considered ingratitude the most horrible crime humans can commit, highlighting gratitude's moral importance.
Gratitude may be evolutionarily selected behavior, with reciprocal altruism observed across multiple primate species.

Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.

Read it at the source ↗