Short answers, pulled from the story.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but the deliberate choice to act in the face of it. This fundamental truth has been debated by philosophers for millennia, yet it remains the core of what it means to be brave.
Plato described courage as a form of perseverance, the ability to maintain one's beliefs despite suffering, pleasure, or fear. His early writings explored various definitions of courage, only to refute them, highlighting the complexity of the concept.
Researchers have identified four necessary components of courage: intentionality, personal fear, noble or good act, and personal risk. These components suggest that courage is not merely an attribute or disposition but an exceptional response to specific external conditions.
Awards include the Victoria Cross, the Medal of Honor, the Carnegie Hero Fund, the Profile in Courage Award, the Civil Courage Prize, and the Param Vir Chakra. These awards highlight the importance of courage in both military and civilian contexts, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated exceptional bravery and moral integrity.
Courage is for action, facing and resisting danger, while fortitude is for suffering, enduring pain with patience and constancy. Thomas Aquinas ranked fortitude as the third of the cardinal virtues, after prudence and justice, emphasizing its role in Catholicism and Anglicanism as one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.