Courage Is Calling

Four virtues – courage, temperance, justice and wisdom – comprise the good life.

The Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius regarded the four virtues of courage, temperance, justice and wisdom as “touchstones of goodness.” These “cardinal virtues” appear in texts from the ancient world from Christianity to Hinduism. The Greek philosopher Aristotle, for example, stressed that, as a harpist learns by playing the instrument, you become virtuous by practicing virtuous actions. You have multiple opportunities to choose virtue every day. The Greek root of the word “virtue” is arete, which translates roughly as “excellence.” Choosing virtue means choosing mental, physical and moral excellence.

Courage can be physical – for example, saving someone from a burning building – or moral – for example, acting as a whistleblower. Both kinds are valuable and involve risk, sacrifice and determination that many people fail to display. Instead of doing the right thing, people often opt to do what feels safe.

Courage is a rarity because many people live in fear.

Brave people muster the ability to overcome fear. Comparative mythologist...