ABSTRACT
Hospitableness is the name of the trait possessed by hospitable people. It is clearly something to do with hospitality, so I shall begin with that. We can define hospitality, in its basic meaning, as follows: it is the giving of food, drink and sometimes accommodation to people who are not regular members of a household. Typically givers, or hosts, provide these things in their own homes, and the point is that they are sharing their own sustenance with their guests. This notion may be stretched in various directions: for example, a firm is said to provide hospitality if it gives food and drink to visitors. But the central idea of the concept remains that of sharing one's own home and provision with others.
