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Aristotle, Courage and Virtue

            Imagine a newborn baby crying in the hospital. This baby was not born with the knowledge of being kind nor evil but with a pure state of mind. Not knowing what is right and wrong, virtue can guide people to knowing what is good. But what exactly is virtue? According to Aristotle in the Nicomachean Ethics, virtue is described as neither a feeling nor capacity but a settled state or disposition. It is shown as a state that allows people to aim for what is transitional and also what decides the mean between two practices, one of being overly full and the other being a lack of. A great example of a common virtue would be courage. People usually depict courage as being strong and facing danger without fear. But this common assumption isn't what true courage is. In reference to Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, there are those who appear to be courageous and those who are actual courageous people. Therefore what exactly is a courageous person and how do we distinguish from one to another?.
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             Aristotle describes courage in the text through the various principles taken from virtue and examples of those who have a part of what is considered courageous. It starts out with the balance of the mean between fear and confidence. People portray fear as everything that seems bad. They fear all bad things such as bad reputation, poverty, sickness, savage and death but none of these should be a concern for a courageous person. For example, fear of bad reputation is actually considered a normal and fine thing because it's better to fear reputation than not having any feelings of disgrace at all (Book III, ch. 6). In this case, a courageous person should have a glimpse of fear within despite how they should be fearless in the eyes of people. Those who face irresistible fears would promote confidence since they are forced to stand firm against them till the end for the sake of virtue or courage. Although letting loose of fears would boost the confidence, excessive confidence will lead to an overly rash person.


Essays Related to Aristotle, Courage and Virtue

1. Aristotle on Nicomachean and Virtue Ethics

Virtue ethics is a group of theories in moral philosophy that has its roots in ancient greek philosophy with Aristotle being largely influential. ... Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics is an example of virtue ethics because Aristotle states that we are not inquiring to know what virtue is, but in order to become good. ... We could refer to this flourishing as the happiness that comes from within, when we are in possession of the virtues such as: patience, courage, temperance, and justice. ... Without courage, we would shy away from every new encounter, allowing fear to govern our lives. ... A...

  • Word Count: 1642
  • Approx Pages: 7
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2. Aristotle Virtue Ethics

Aristotle views virtues as "traits that enable us to live well in communities(p. 389)" He holds the better good of the community higher than that of the individual. ... Aristotle defines a virtue as moral excellence, or goodness. ... By these vices and virtues are we judged, Aristotle says. ... For example, courage seems less opposed to foolhardiness than cowardice to foolhardiness. ... Aristotle related virtue and happiness in many ways. ...

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3. According to Aristotle

According to Aristotle, virtue primarily involves the use of a person's rationality. ... An illustration of this could be when a person endures pain with courage, he or she is balancing pain and pleasure. ... Courage is a virtue, but just as too little courage is the vice of cowardice, so also too little fear is the vice of rashness. ... To feel fear is not a vice, nor even a lack of virtue, but how an individual reacts to that fear determines whether he is considered to have virtue in the area of courage. ... Another problem with deciding to side with Aristotle is that there are numerou...

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4. Aristotle

Aristotle conceives happiness not primarily as an exercise of virtue in private or with friends, but as the exercise of virtue in governing an ideal state. ... In the cases of bravery or courage, acting in that way produces someone who is that kind of person. Virtue requires that virtuous action be motivated by virtue: action must be not only in accord with, but also done for the sake of virtue. ... Aristotle felt that through the four qualities of wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice, could a person be led to happiness. ... Furthermore, Aristotle argues that people act justly or unjustly...

  • Word Count: 891
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5. Nichomachean Ethics

In Aristotle's Nicohmachean Ethics the term virtue refers to a state that exists within the soul. ... "(1) The first virtue pertaining to reason that Aristotle mentions is virtue of thought. ... When Aristotle mentions virtue of morality he is basically referring to the moral virtue of being a good and ethical person. ... According to Aristotle this balance is virtue as a mean. ... Take courage for example, it is the mean that exists between being cowardly and being rash. ...

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6. Jesus and Aristotle

Aristotle sees the good life as the state in which a person exhibits total virtue. Aristotle believes the perfect state will bring forth the virtue in men. ... Aristotle agrees that good life is the exhibition of perfect virtue, he disagrees on the particular definition of virtue, and it's relevance to happiness, and therefore disagrees on the means of attaining happiness. ... Aristotle spoke of the importance of courage, a virtue about which Jesus had nothing to say. For Aristotle pride was the greatest virtue, while Jesus taught it was a grievous sin. ...

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7. Position Paper - Aristotle

In the article Aristotle states "activity of soul in accordance with virtue, and if there are more than one virtue, in accordance with the best and most complete" (Aristotle, 4). ... He believes that, "happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with perfect virtue" (Aristotle, 13). ... One example of this would deal with the virtue of courage. Acts of courage may seem as if they contain the virtue of courage, when in fact they do not. ... If one is breaking any of the laws, he does not attain the virtue of courage. ...

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  • Grade Level: High School

8. Aristotle

Moral virtues are developed by force of habit. ... Any moral quality (take courage, for instance) can be present in excess (rashness) or deficiency (cowardice). ... Second, we are inclined to say that the virtue is the opposite of that extreme to which we are more naturally drawn (for instance, people are generally drawn more to cowardice than rashness, so we see courage as the opposite of cowardice, rather than rashness). ... Commentary The idea of moderation plays a central role in the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle, in the histories of Herodotus, and in the surviving plays of An...

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9. Aristotle and the Philosophy of Happiness

Many philosophers maintain looking for what are right, Meanwhile Aristotle searches for what is virtue. In, "Virtue Ethics," Aristotle argues, "Virtue is a mean state between the extremes, both of which are vices either excess or deviancy," (73). ... Virtue is a mood rather than an activity. ... As Aristotle states, "Virtue is a mean state between the extremes, both of which are vices either excess or deviancy," (73). ... As far as Courage, Truthfulness, and Friendship areas are concerned, I am living my life philosophically from Aristotle's view. ...

  • Word Count: 897
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