Courage.

As I write this frantically before I have work at 6:00 PM, what is courage?  There may be the nothing that acting despite the presence of fear to result with an act that may be glorified by others, can not only be seen as heroic, but also courageous.  But does the act of throwing one's life below another's in order to save them, or act on their behalf, consider that action to be courage?  One may never know.

In my opinion, it seems that courage is in fact parallel to the definition given above.  It is to "act in a situation, on the behalf of someone else, despite their posing threat to one's self."  That is that acting despite fear, is what is courage is defined to be.  However, this does not mean one is rash and reckless to throw themselves into every situation to be a hero.  The act of courage roots from this notion that there does lie a certain risk in the actions that one can take, and that upon one weighing out the pros and cons of the actions that they are about to take, that they act in such a way to result with the favorable outcome.  This is to say the event will result the way they wish it to be, but none the less, the ethic decision the individual partakes in the ethical dilemma is not one without gravity.  Running out of time here, I will simply end with a thought that my professor had put into my mind whilst discussing Aristotle.  Courage is considered to be a virtue, and there is a reason for it.  For courage is important to the person, and in itself, defines and shapes the person into being and allows that person to move towards a path of life that parallels with the end designated for persons; to be happy.  I will write later about happiness v. unhappiness, but all you need to know is that courage is a virtue for a reason.  Without courage, can you imagine what you would not be able to do?  Ask a girl to a prom, go in front of an interviewing committee, or talk to a person on the phone.  I'll end with simply saying [inspired by my ethics professor: professor Berry]: courage can only be cultivated by using courage.


-JuzoInspired