Sentinel Philosophy: Rethinking Courage: Plato's Intellectual Virtue

Plato

Plato argued that most people do not understand what courage really means. Courage is not the same as fearlessness. For example, public speaking is not brave if it does not bother you at all. Nor is courage something born to some people, and denied to others. Instead, Plato thought that courage is an intellectual virtue.

It is when you recognise that some things are more valuable than others, and some things are worth defending, and worth fighting for. For example, it is when you recognise that losing a loved one is more important than your wealth, or your health. It is when justice, or fairness, matter more to you than popularity.

A young child who does not know the dangers of life is not brave. They just do not know what they should fear yet. A lion defending her pride might be mighty, but she is not courageous.

Courage is when you have the wisdom, or the judgment, to place one set of values over another. And according to Plato, we must teach these values in our schools, in our communities, and with good parenting.

We must teach young children what is truly valuable in life (that justice, fairness, friendship, and love are more important than money, status, or power). We must teach young children that some things in life are worth protecting. There are many forms of courage. It is in the quietest of words, and the greatest of acts is when you know what is right, and that what is right is worth defending.