Courage

Lore & Background

In Western tradition, notable thoughts on courage have come from philosophers Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, and Kierkegaard, as well as Christian beliefs and texts. Plato's Laches discusses courage but fails to reach a satisfactory conclusion, offering definitions such as 'a man willing to remain at his post' and 'a sort of endurance of the soul.' In The Republic, Plato describes courage as perseverance—'preservation of the belief that has been inculcated by the law through education about what things and sorts of things are to be feared.' Aristotle, in Nicomachean Ethics, treats courage as the mean between cowardice and recklessness, especially in soldiers fighting for a noble cause. Thucydides wrote, 'The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.'

Reader's Guide

Courage is a foundational virtue in both Western and Eastern traditions, though its definition and application have been debated. In ancient Greece, Plato and Aristotle explored courage as a mean between extremes, while Roman philosopher Cicero listed it as one of four cardinal virtues. The Tao Te Ching contends that courage is derived from love, and Hindu tradition includes courage (shauriya) as one of ten characteristics of dharma. Professor Daniel Putman emphasizes that courage involves deliberate choice in the face of painful or fearful circumstances for a worthy goal, and that fear and confidence must be balanced—excess or deficiency in either can distort courage into cowardice, foolhardiness, or hopelessness. The concept remains central to ethical discussions, with moral courage distinguished from physical courage, and fortitude adding perseverance and patience. Despite varying interpretations, courage is consistently seen as a response to fear, not its absence.

Did You Know?

• Professor Daniel Putman states that courage involves deliberate choice in the face of painful or fearful circumstances for a worthy goal.
• Aristotle describes courage as the mean between cowardice and recklessness in Nicomachean Ethics.
• The Tao Te Ching contends that courage is derived from love.
• In Hindu tradition, courage (shauriya) is one of ten characteristics of dharma in the Manusmṛti.