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Single Idea 22400

[filed under theme 23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 3. Virtues / d. Courage ]

Full Idea

The fears that count against a man's courage are those that we think he should overcome, and among them, in a special class, those that reflect the fact that he values his safety too much.

Gist of Idea

Courage overcomes the fears which should be overcome, and doesn't overvalue personal safety

Source

Philippa Foot (Virtues and Vices [1978], II)

Book Ref

Foot,Philippa: 'Virtues and Vices' [Blackwell 1981], p.12

A Reaction

I think that sentence tells us more accurately what courage is than anything in Aristotle's discussion. Ask yourself which of your fears really ought to be overcome, and particularly beware of over-valuing your own safety. But stay safe if you can!

The 15 ideas with the same theme [virtuous resistance to fear and danger]:

23907 Courage is scientific knowledge [Socrates, by Aristotle]
293 Being unafraid (perhaps through ignorance) and being brave are two different things [Plato]
5224 Strictly speaking, a courageous person is one who does not fear an honourable death [Aristotle]
5226 True courage is an appropriate response to a dangerous situation [Aristotle]
23905 Courage follows reason, which tells us to choose what is noble [Aristotle]
7283 Great courage is not violent [Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu)]
6014 Panaetius identified courage with great-mindedness, preferring civic courage to military [Panaetius, by Asmis]
17225 In a free man, choosing flight can show as much strength of mind as fighting [Spinoza]
6241 Contempt of danger is just madness if it is not in some worthy cause [Hutcheson]
20257 Cool courage and feverish bravery have one name, but are two very different virtues [Nietzsche]
15606 Military idea: what does not kill me makes me stronger [Nietzsche]
3848 Cowards are responsible for their cowardice [Sartre]
15640 Courage is not a virtue, but the form of every virtue at its testing point [Lewis,CS]
22400 Courage overcomes the fears which should be overcome, and doesn't overvalue personal safety [Foot]
20197 The courage of an evil person is still a quality worth having [Zagzebski]