Aristotle’s Thoughts on Courage

Fear and confidence are not mutually exclusive

A Roman copy of a marble bust of Aristotle, date unknown. The original was made by Lysippos in 330 BCE (Wikimedia Commons — image resized by author)

Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are the golden trio of western philosophy. Yet the latter’s ideas have remained the most relevant throughout history.

In his masterful Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle delves into the nature of living a good life. And within the pages of this vast philosophical text, he offers his ingenious thoughts on one of humanity’s most renowned virtues: courage.

Fear

Fear is the expectation of the undesirable. But that which is undesirable varies depending on the individual involved, and according to Aristotle, there are some things we should fear:

‘… for to fear some things is even right and noble, and it is base [low] not to fear them …’ — Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle

Disgrace, for instance, is feared by individuals who are good and modest — they do not want to live with a foul reputation. But being afraid doesn’t mean they aren’t brave. On the contrary, righteous fears are a requirement for bravery.

‘The man, then, who faces and who fears the right things and from the right motive, in the right way…