Moral Courage

MISHAEL A. GONDA
Defining courage
 Quality of mind which enables one to
encounter danger and difficulties with firmness
or without fear
Physical courage Moral courage

 Driven by sense of honor  Principle driven

 Shaped by concern over  Courage to be moral
reputation
 Moral values
 Honesty
 Respect
 Responsibility
 Fairness
 Compassion

Physical and moral courage

Elements of moral courage

Endurance

Principle Danger
Seven steps to moral courage
1. Assess the situation
2. Scan for values
3. Act on conscience
4. Understand the risks
5. Endure the hardship
6. Avoid the inhibitors
7. Learn moral courage
Assess the situation
 Analyze the situation
 Motives
 Inhibitions
Motives
 Risks
 What is the central
concern?
Inhibitions

Risks
Scan for values

 What values characterize the situation?

 Lack of values often requires courageous action
 Pervasiveness
 How does it shape my response?
 Distinguish significant from the trivial
 Can I take on the failings of another?
Act on conscience

 Focus on one or two key values

 May be automatic, or right vs. right
 Dismantle right vs. wrong
arguments that might cause
inaction
 Recognize that no higher value
ought to draw us into a different
course
Understand the risks

 Have I adequately assessed the

dangers involved?
 Am I clear on the moral and
physical hazards?
 Ambiguity
 Exposure
 Loss
Endure the hardship

 Confidence to endure hardship

 Expressing confidence improves
trustworthiness
 What do I trust?
 Experience
 Character
 Faith
 Intuition
Avoid the inhibitors

 Inhibitors to avoid
 Overconfident cultures  Group think
 Compromises  Normalized deviancy
 Foolhardiness  Altruism
 Timidity  Cultural differences
 Raw courage
 Tepid ethic
 Over reflection
 Bystander apathy
Learn moral courage

 Is it nature or nurture?  How to test if it’s genuine

 To attain courage  Ends-based risk-benefit test
 Discourse and discussion  Rule-based self righteousness test

 Modeling and mentoring  Care-based innocent parties test

 Practice and persistence

Example
1. Assess the situation family, life
 Government violence against 5. Endure the hardship
civilians
 Worked in secrecy, held faith
2. Scan for values in his cause
 Lack of respect for human 6. Avoid the inhibitors
rights and freedoms
 Bystander apathy, timidness
3. Act on conscience
7. Learn moral courage
 These values were of greatest
 Assembled collaborators and
importance to him
carried out plans

4. Understand the risks

 Loss of social standing, trust,
conclusion

 Moral courage can be practiced by anyone in any situation

 Greater confidence in principles than in personalities
 High tolerance for ambiguity, exposure, and personal loss
 Independence of thought
 Formidable persistence and determination