Ethics

1
Courage and Moral Courage

Module 11 Courage and Moral Courage

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. To understand what is courage
2. To enumerate the types of courage
3. To expound moral courage

The Virtue of Courage

Courage is defined as taking action even one doubts or questions about the consequences
of his actions. Courage is often a stereotype about soldiers giving their lives for the country;
sometimes is accepting defeat after a hard-fought struggle. Courage is on a daily basis because
everything that mattered to us require this trait. We feel deep courage and strength to protect our
children either from sickness or bodily harm that we risk our lives just to secure them. Courage
comes even to the most cowardly for it is innate in man. Mary Anne Radmacher, author of “Lean
forward into your life” mentioned in that poew “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage
is the silent voice at the end of the day that says ‘I will try again tomorrow’.”
Types of Courage
1. Physical Courage - This is the courage most people often subscribes to - bravery at the
risk of bodily harm or death. In order to attain this must develop his physical strength,
resiliency, and awareness.
2. Social Courage - This type of courage is common to most of us because it involves the
risk of social embarrassment or exclusion, unpopularity or rejection. It also involves
leadership. Adhering to socially-accepted norms is a mandate all members have to
follow to avoid being a social outcast.
3. Intellectual Courage - This talks about our willingness to engage in cerebral fitness by
raising questions on things we know and will know, as well as to avoid the risk of
making mistakes.
4. Moral Courage - This involves doing the right thing, particularly when risks involve
shame, opposition, or the disapproval of others. Details will be discussed in the next
topic.
5. Emotional Courage - This type of courage opens us to feeling the full spectrum of
positive emotions, at the risk of encountering the negative ones. It is strongly
correlated with happiness.
6. Spiritual Courage – Courage that deals with questions about faith, the purpose, and
meaning of life whether in a religious or nonreligious framework.

Moral Courage
Moral courage is the courage to take action for moral reasons despite the risk of
adverse consequences and it requires deliberation and careful thought. Moral courage entails a

Course Module
person’s strength of character and must be willing to face risks in order to act according to his or
her values and beliefs. Moral courage is the strength to stand up to authority to protect his or her
soldiers’ welfare or defend his or her decisions. This virtue develop leaders that are followed by
their inferiors without any iota of doubt. Integrity is gained by leaders who perform their jobs
even if they do not want it because they knew their leader has their trust and confidence.

References and Supplementary Materials

Online Supplementary Reading Materials
1. Mary Ann Radmacher Inspires; http://www.maryanneradmacher.net/
2. The Real definition of courage; https://www.huffingtonpost.com/rebecca-
perkins/the-real-definition-of-courage_b_6857068.html; December 6, 2017

Written by:
Christopher S. Espiritu
AMACC Caloocan Campus