The following is a summary of Aristotle's view on courage. This summary is based upon his essay on courage found in Nicomachean Ethics, the Great Books serise.

What do does philosipher Aristotle say about courage ?
Courage is a voluntary act ,because involuntary means you have no other choice of action. Courage is voluntary because you chose between showing courage or being a coward. " The coward, the rash man and the brave man are concerned with the same object but act differently toward them. " According to Aristotle, this means that everyone is capable of bravery it just depends on how they react or act to situations and goals. Courage is voluntary, it is a choice that people make and it is a choice that everyone has to make. Courage is not something you are born with, it is something you chose to do, something that you develop.
The main quality of courage is the forgetting of fear and endurance. Aristotle says “ No, we fear all evils (disgrace, poverty, disease, friendlessness, death) but the brave man is not thought to be concerned with all for to fear something is even right and noble and it is base not to fear them-eg disgrace, he who fears this is good and modest and he who does not is shameless. He is however by some people called brave by a transference of the word.” By this, brave men do fear but they chose to put those fears aside. In doing so they endure. Men show courage because they endure pain and separation to achieve a greater end. " Courage is a mean with respect to things that inspire confidence or fear…and it chooses or endures things because it is base not to do so. “ Therefore forgetting fear and enduring are all that is necessary to be courageous.
Forgetting fear and endurance are necessary for courage because “We show courage in situations where this is the opportunity of showing prowess or where death is noble.” People show courage when the situation demands it . This is why forgetting fear and endurance are needed! When one forgets their fear and acts upon their training and endures the suffering they are courageous. That is how there is a difference between a courageous man and a coward. A coward is unwilling to forget his fear and unwilling to suffer for a better end. A courageous man forgets his pain, personal comfort and endures for a better end. " Now at the end of every activity is conformity to the corresponding sate of character. This is true there of the brave men as well as others. But courage is noble. Therefore the end is also noble for its end defines each thing. Therefore it is for a noble end that brave men endure and act as courage directs. "

Does this view of courage line up with the Bible? Let's find out ! To read the Biblical evaluation of Aristotles idea of courage please click here.

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