The philosophy of Courage

When we think about courage, we often associate it with bravery, fearlessness, and heroic actions. But from a philosophical perspective, courage involves much more than just physical bravery or heroic deeds. It is a virtue that involves the ability to face challenges and difficulties with resilience, perseverance, and integrity.

Philosophical tradition

In the Western philosophical tradition, courage has been a central topic of discussion since the time of the ancient Greeks. In particular, the philosopher Aristotle identified courage as one of the four cardinal virtues, along with wisdom, justice, and temperance. For Aristotle, courage involved finding a balance between two extremes: cowardice and recklessness. Cowardice involves being too fearful and avoiding challenges, while recklessness involves being too bold and taking unnecessary risks. Courage, on the other hand, involves finding the middle ground between these extremes, and taking appropriate risks when necessary.

For example, if someone is too afraid to even consider jumping out of a plane, that would be an example of cowardice. However, if someone were to jump out of a plane without the proper training or equipment, that would be an example of recklessness. A courageous person in this context would be someone who has taken the time to properly train and prepare for the jump, and who is able to manage their fear and take the appropriate risks in order to enjoy the experience.

In the context of judo, courage involves finding the right balance between being too passive and too aggressive. In a judo match, a passive approach can lead to being dominated by the opponent, while an overly aggressive approach can lead to being caught off balance and thrown. A courageous judoka is able to find the balance between these two extremes, using a combination of patience, technique, and timing to control the pace of the match and take the appropriate risks when they arise. This requires not only physical skill, but also mental toughness and emotional control. By finding the middle ground between passivity and aggression, the courageous judoka is able to compete at a high level and achieve success in the sport.

Courage whispers in the quiet, roars in triumph over fear, holds the resilience to try again, understands success is not final, and failure is not fatal. It's the grace under pressure, the heart's journey, and the silent form of every virtue at life's testing points.

Ethics of courage

Aristotle’s view of courage was grounded in his broader ethical theory, which emphasised the importance of developing virtues as a means of achieving happiness. According to Aristotle, virtues are habits or dispositions that enable us to act in a way that is consistent with our moral and practical goals. Therefore courage is not just a matter of reacting bravely in the face of danger, but of cultivating a disposition or habit of mind that enables us to face challenges and difficulties with resilience and integrity.

Another important philosophical perspective on courage comes from the existentialist tradition. For existentialist philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Martin Heidegger, courage involves confronting the fundamental challenges of human existence, such as the inevitability of death, the uncertainty of the future, and the meaninglessness of life. For these philosophers, courage involves embracing the inherent absurdity and uncertainty of life, and choosing to act in spite of it.

From a psychological perspective, the existentialist view of courage is closely related to the concept of “existential courage.” This involves facing the fundamental challenges of existence, and taking responsibility for our own lives and choices. It requires us to confront our fears, uncertainties, and doubts, and to make choices that are consistent with our values and goals.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the philosophy of courage is about more than just facing physical danger or adversity. It is about cultivating a disposition of resilience, perseverance, and integrity in the face of challenges and difficulties. It involves finding the balance between cowardice and recklessness, and taking appropriate risks when necessary. And it requires us to confront the fundamental challenges of human existence, and to take responsibility for our own lives and choices. By developing a philosophical understanding of courage, we can cultivate a deeper sense of purpose and meaning in our lives, and live with greater integrity and resilience.

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Leigh Judo Spring newsletter24

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