What is courage. Dictionary of Military Terms

Dictionary Ushakov

Courage

courage, courage, pl. No, cf. (books.). Calm courage, presence of mind in trouble, danger. Show courage.

| Mental fortitude and courage. "It (the revolutionary song) sounded iron courage." M. Gorky. Have the courage to speak the truth.

Dictionary of Military Terms

Courage

the moral-psychological and combat quality of a warrior, which characterizes his ability to sustainably endure prolonged physical exertion, mental stress and at the same time maintain presence of mind, in dangerous situations to show high combat activity. The inner basis of the morale of the soldiers of the socialist armies is their ideological conviction, high moral principles, as well as military skill, training, and the ability to control oneself in any situation.

Pedagogical terminological dictionary

Courage

ethical virtue characterizing the moral measure in overcoming fear; one of the four cardinal virtues of antiquity (along with moderation, wisdom and justice). According to Aristotle, M. is overcoming the fear of death. The subject of M. is death, which is considered worthy and the attitude towards which characterizes the moral qualities of the individual. M. represents a conscious choice in a situation where the virtue of behavior can only be paid for by risking one's own life. Such situations are most often associated with wars. Hence - the idea of M. as a male virtue. M. acts as the ability to endure suffering, primarily physical. There are motives and types of behavior that are very similar to M., but nevertheless, in the literal sense, M. are not.

There are five of them, according to Aristotle:

a) civil courage, when overcoming the dangers of war is stimulated by fear of dishonor or possible punishment;

b) experience;

c) rage;

d) arrogance;

e) ignorance of the danger.

A truly courageous person confronts dangers in the name of a beautiful goal and considers this way of behavior in itself virtuous; for him, M. has a value in itself and is a sufficient motive for behavior.

In the modern sense, M. is more often used in an expansive sense, as a synonym for moral firmness, such determination in upholding moral convictions that does not take into account possible losses (not only physical, but at the same time, and even above all, material, social, psychological losses). M. primarily acts as a civic position and is increasingly losing the significance of male virtue. Modern theories of nonviolence largely contribute to this understanding of M.. For example, Gandhi said that the M. of non-violence is many times greater than the M. of violence.

(Bim-Bad B.M. Pedagogical encyclopedic dictionary. - M., 2002. S. 149-150)

Dictionary of antonyms of the Russian language

Courage

cowardice

Gasparov. Entries and extracts

Courage

♦ N. I. K.-L., who saw the war, said: “Courage is in the commander who sends the soldiers away and remains to die at the machine gun. And his soldiers who obey and leave. But not the one who rushes to die to the embrasure."

Bible: Topical Dictionary

Courage

♦ the ability to face danger fearlessly

BUT. Remarkable Shows of Courage

♦ Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh:

Ex 5:1-4; Ex 10:24-29

♦ murder of Eglon by Aod:

♦ Gideon vs Midian:

♦ Jonathan vs Philistines:

♦ David vs Goliath:

1 Samuel 17:26-50

♦ Elijah on Mount Carmel:

♦ Esther and King Artaxerxes:

♦ Daniel's three friends and the fiery furnace:

♦ Daniel and the lions' den:

♦ apostles before the Sanhedrin:

Acts 4:1-22; Acts 5:17-41

♦ Saul (Paul) preaching in Damascus:

Acts 9:20-25

♦ Paul's decision to go to Jerusalem:

Acts 21:10-14

B. Command to be Courageous

♦ Israelites from Moses:

♦ Israelites from Joshua:

♦ Joshua from Moses:

Deut 31:7,23

♦ Joshua from the Lord:

Joshua 1:6-9,18

♦ Solomon from David:

1 Chronicles 22:13; 1 Chronicles 28:20

♦ Judges from King Jehoshaphat:

♦ Israelites from Hezekiah:

♦ Peter from Jesus:

♦ disciples from Jesus:

♦ Paul from the Lord:

♦ for all of us:

1 Corinthians 16:13; Heb 3:6

AT. Aspects of Courage

1. When we need it

The meaning of the word COURAGE in the Explanatory Dictionary of Efremova

COURAGE

m at gesture

1. cf.

1) Calm courage, presence of mind in danger, in trouble.

2) Mental fortitude and courage.

2. cf. obsolete

Maturity, maturity.

Efremov. Explanatory Dictionary of Ephraim. 2012

COURAGE

virtue characterizing the moral measure in overcoming fear; one of the four cardinal virtues of Antiquity (along with moderation, wisdom and justice). A systematic analysis of courage was given by Aristotle. In his opinion, courage is the overcoming of physical pain, horrors, fear of death stimulated by moral motives. We are not talking about any death, because it can come from causes that are not subject to a person (diseases, accidents), and not about all things associated with mortal horror, because some of them (fires, storms, etc.) are equally terrible for everyone and fear towards them is a normal, healthy human reaction. The subject of courage is death, which is considered worthy, beautiful, and the attitude towards which characterizes the moral qualities of the individual. Courage is a conscious choice in a situation where good behavior can only be paid for by risking one's own life. “He who intelligently rushes into danger for the sake of good and is not afraid of it is courageous, and in this is courage” (MM. 1191 a 24). As typical and natural, such situations are associated with military battles; courage as an ethical virtue and war as a social relation are mutually correlated with each other. Courage can also, according to Aristotle, be defined as an ethically worthy way of behaving a person in battle; hence the idea of it as a male virtue (the corresponding Greek word, like the Russian “courage”, is the same root as the words “husband”, “man”). Although courage is a cross between fear and insane courage, it is closer to courage, therefore, it acts as the ability to endure suffering, primarily physical pain. There are motives and corresponding types of behavior that are very similar to courage, and often even considered as such, but nevertheless, in the literal sense, they are not. According to Aristotle, there are five of them: a) civil courage, when overcoming the dangers of war is stimulated by fear of dishonor or possible punishment; b) experience, when effective behavior in battle is caused simply by the skill, qualifications of a warrior; c) rage, when the opposition to danger is purely affective; d) arrogance, often due to previous victories and similar to the arrogance of intoxication; e) ignorance of the danger. In all these cases, overcoming the fear of death is due to reasons external to virtue; they, although they stimulate courageous behavior within certain limits, nevertheless do not guarantee it. A man of courage confronts dangers in the name of a beautiful goal, and considers this mode of conduct to be virtuous in itself; for him, courage has a value in itself and is a sufficient motive for behavior.

Courage is one of the central virtues of the aristocratic ethos that dominated the public mores of Antiquity and the Middle Ages. It ethically sanctioned military activity as an important function of the privileged estates (for example, in Plato's ideal state, courage is a specific virtue of the guards). Throughout the pre-bourgeois era, the Aristotelian understanding of courage remains generally recognized, and courage itself retains the status of one of the cardinal virtues. With the transition from Greek antiquity to Roman antiquity, which is more militant than spiritual, the importance of courage even increases; in one of the Latin sounds (virtus), it becomes at the same time a synonym for valor and virtue. Courage is the central virtue of the medieval knightly ethos, closely associated with the concept of honor. A high assessment of courage is also characteristic of the morality of philistinism, although here it is no longer considered as a cardinal virtue and loses its primary importance of military prowess.

The devaluation and transformation of the concept of courage has become one of the most important expressions and results of a shift in social mores, during which, according to F. Nietzsche, “the industrial spirit has triumphed over the military and aristocratic spirit” (“Beyond Good and Evil”, § 239). Corresponding to this change, courage becomes a secondary theme in the philosophical ethics of modern times. Hobbes denies him the status of civic virtue, and considers the fear of death as a productive force contributing to the establishment of peace. In Spinoza, it is almost at the very end of the extensive catalog of affects (Ethics, Part III. Definition of affects). Kant defines the concept of courage as the ability to resist the enemy of the moral way of thinking in ourselves, i.e., inclinations; to be courageous - to dare what duty commands. He believes that there are dangers that require more courage to overcome than to fight in battle or in a duel (such, for example, is the fear associated with ridicule, mockery). Nietzsche's efforts to return courage to the upper floors of the ethical hierarchy and restore its original understanding as the virtue of a warrior-aristocrat remained isolated. At present, the concept is more often used in a broad sense - as a synonym for moral firmness, fortitude in the face of difficult trials, as well as such determination in upholding moral convictions that does not take into account possible losses (not only physical, but also material, social, psychological) . It is increasingly losing the value of male virtue. The shift in emphasis in the understanding of courage is largely facilitated by modern theories and practical experiences of non-violence, in which the non-violent struggle against evil and injustice is interpreted as more courageous than violent (according to Gandhi, the courage of non-violence is many times greater than the courage of violence). The content of the concept is also undergoing changes: in the ratio of internal fears and external dangers, the proportion of the former increases.

Lit.; Aristotle. Nicomachean ethics .- In the book: Aristotle. Op. In 4 volumes, v. 4. M., 1984: Plato. Laches.- In the book: Plato. Dialogues. M., 1986; Cicero. On duties (I).- In the book: Cicero. About old age, about friendship, about duties. M., 1974; TillichP. Courage to be. - In the book: Tillich P. Selected. Theology of culture. M., 1995; Ossovskaya M. Knight and bourgeois. M., 1988.

Great Definition

Incomplete definition ↓

Courage- one of the virtues, reflecting moral strength in overcoming fear. Courage often appears as the ability to endure suffering, including physical pain.

In antiquity

Into the new time

In the course of the transition to an industrial society (modern times), the value of courage falls, since "the industrial spirit has triumphed over the military and aristocratic spirit" (Nietzsche). In the ethics of modern times, courage becomes secondary or even acquires a negative connotation: thus, Hobbes considers the fear of death as a useful force for establishing peace. Spinoza places courage at the bottom of the list of "affects". According to Kant, courage is the ability to "dare what duty dictates"; Kant notes that the fear of mockery requires more courage to overcome than the battle. Among the well-known philosophers of modern times, one Nietzsche tried unsuccessfully to regain courage for the leading role in ethics.

Now courage is often used simply as a synonym for universal moral firmness, and loses the meaning of male virtue (for example, the phrase "courageous woman" in many languages - including Russian - does not contain a contradiction). This is facilitated by modern theories and practical experiences of non-violence, when non-violent struggle is seen as more courageous than violent (Mahatma Gandhi).

In military affairs

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Passage on Courage

The fog became so strong that, despite the fact that it was dawning, it was not visible ten paces ahead. The bushes looked like huge trees, the flat places looked like precipices and slopes. Everywhere, from all sides, one could encounter an enemy invisible ten paces away. But for a long time the columns walked in the same fog, descending and ascending the mountains, bypassing gardens and fences, across new, incomprehensible terrain, nowhere colliding with the enemy. On the contrary, now in front, now behind, from all sides, the soldiers learned that our Russian columns were moving in the same direction. Each soldier felt good at heart because he knew that where he was going, that is, no one knew where, there were still many, many of ours.
“Look, you, and the Kursk people have passed,” they said in the ranks.
- Passion, my brother, that our troops have gathered! Evening looked at how the lights were laid out, the end of the edge could not be seen. Moscow - one word!
Although none of the column commanders drove up to the ranks and did not speak with the soldiers (the column commanders, as we saw at the military council, were out of sorts and dissatisfied with the work being undertaken, and therefore only carried out orders and did not care to amuse the soldiers), despite On top of that, the soldiers went merrily, as always, going into action, especially in the offensive. But, after passing through a dense fog for about an hour, most of the troops had to stop, and an unpleasant consciousness of disorder and confusion swept through the ranks. How this consciousness is transmitted is very difficult to determine; but what is certain is that it is conveyed with unusual fidelity and quickly overflows, imperceptibly and uncontrollably, like water down a hollow. If the Russian army had been alone, without allies, then, perhaps, a long time would have passed before this consciousness of disorder would become a general confidence; but now, with particular pleasure and naturalness, attributing the cause of the disturbances to the stupid Germans, everyone was convinced that a harmful confusion was taking place, which the sausage workers had done.
- What have become then? Al blocked? Or did you stumble upon a Frenchman?
- No, don't hear it. And then he would start firing.
- Then they hurried to speak, but they spoke - they stood uselessly in the middle of the field - all the damned Germans confuse. Eki stupid devils!
- Then I would let them go ahead. And then, I suppose, they huddle behind. Now stop and don't eat.
- Yes, will it be there soon? The cavalry, they say, blocked the road, - said the officer.
“Oh, the damned Germans, they don’t know their land,” said another.
What division are you? shouted the adjutant as he drove up.
- Eighteenth.
"So why are you here?" you should have been ahead long ago, now you won’t get through until evening.
- These are stupid orders; they don’t know what they are doing,” the officer said and drove off.
Then a general drove by and angrily shouted something not in Russian.
“Tafa lafa, and what he mumbles, you can’t make out anything,” the soldier said, mimicking the general who had left. “I would have shot them, scoundrels!”
- At the ninth hour it was ordered to be on the spot, but we didn’t get even half. Here are the orders! – repeated from different sides.
And the feeling of energy with which the troops went into action began to turn into annoyance and anger at the stupid orders and at the Germans.

Courage as a personality trait is the ability to show will, moral firmness, act decisively and expediently in extreme situations, endure suffering, including physical pain.

There was a case when the wife of one prince approached Genghis Khan with a request to release her relatives. Genghis Khan said: - Here, your husband, your son and your brother are standing in front of you. I'll only let one go, who do you choose? Without hesitation, she replied: - Brother. - Explain to me why? The woman said: - I can find a husband, I can give birth to a son, but I cannot create a brother. After hearing this, Genghis Khan released all three.

Both courage and cowardice can be scary, the first, in the face of dangerous uncertainty, forces itself to do what it should and therefore is called courage, the second - did not have time, could not or did not want to do it itself, and after a second everything that should be done, it was forced by other people That's why it's called cowardice. Courage and cowardice closely coexist and are separated by a “plywood wall” located in the space between the fear of danger and the reaction to it. It is these moments that put everything on the shelves, it is these “moments that give shame to someone, dishonor to someone, and immortality to someone.”

Courage comes from the mind, not from the feelings. A courageous person on a reflex level has accustomed himself to perform his duties qualitatively in any extreme conditions, he did not leave his feelings a single chance to be afraid, worry, doubt, and calmly does what is necessary. Well, what about feelings? You can be afraid and worry later if you want.

Unlike courage, courage implies responsibility and reasonableness. Courage without the connection of the mind does not exist. Courage can be impulsive, it can stem from fear, even a baby can be brave, and only a reasonable, strong-willed, mature and holistic person can be courageous. In courage, the quality of accumulated will is manifested. In the stubbornness of a child there is also will, but what is its quality?

A courageous person is not only brave, but also prudent. “Courage without prudence is only a special kind of cowardice,” wrote Seneca the Elder. Having developed a responsible, positive and constructive view of the world, courage confidently asserts: "I am responsible for everything that happens in my life." It would never occur to him to shift the blame to other people, circumstances, bad luck, karma, heredity or bad luck. “I am able to overcome all difficulties, learn all the lessons that life offers me, and accept any challenge of fate,” says courage, “What will be, will not be avoided. Every problem has a solution. It is important not to lose the presence of mind, but to think about what needs to be done, to understand what I gain from the implementation of a negative scenario. The favorite of courage - Nikolai Ostrovsky wrote: "Masculinity is brought up day by day in stubborn resistance to difficulties."

A person with such a pronounced quality as courage, as a rule, is characterized by self-control, stamina, endurance, selflessness and a mature sense of self-worth. Courage is needed always, everywhere and in everything. Once the commander asked the warrior: - What is most needed in battle? He replied: - Courage is needed! What about strength and weapons? Or have you forgotten about them? - asked the commander. “If there is no courage in the heart of a warrior, neither his strength nor his weapons will help him,” he answered.

“A courageous person,” according to Pierre Boist, “usually suffers without complaining, a weak person complains without suffering.” Courage is not an insensitive stone block, it usually goes along with gentleness of character, special sensitivity to the difficulties and troubles of other people and generosity. “He who is full of mercy certainly has courage,” wrote Confucius . A courageous person believes: "The battle averted is the battle won", he will not boast of his strength, on the contrary, he will be tolerant and patient with other people's shortcomings, stereotypes of thinking, delusions and prejudices.

The living embodiment of courage is the second assistant to the captain of the Titanic - Lightoller. Despising fear, after the collision of the ship with the iceberg, he worked on the ship, organizing the landing of women and children in lifeboats. Even at the critical moment, when he was launching the last boat, designed for 47 places, while there were still 1,600 people doomed to death on the ship, Lightoller did not make the slightest attempt to net himself into this boat, although he had the right to do so. . However, it is better to give the floor to Walter Lord, the author of the documentary story “The Last Night of the Titanic”: “Standing on the roof of the officers' quarters, Lightoller saw this wave. He watched how the crowds driven by her retreated up the deck, how the more agile managed to avoid contact with her, and the most clumsy did not have time to retreat fast enough and were swallowed up by water. Lightoller understood that the retreat of the men to the stern was merely prolonging the agony. He turned to face the bow of the ship and jumped into the water. When he surfaced, he saw ahead of him the "crow's nest" (observation platform on the mast for lookouts), which was now flush with the surface of the sea. The blind instinct of self-preservation made Lightoller swim for a few seconds to the "nest" as to a place of salvation. But soon he came to his senses and began to sail away from the ship, until he swam to the overturned, but afloat boat and climbed onto its bottom. About thirty people climbed into this boat, but some of them subsequently froze and were washed into the water by the waves. After all, the water temperature that night was minus two degrees! According to eyewitnesses, it was thanks to Lightoller's composure that most of his companions managed to wait until help arrived. The fact is that the air now and then came out from under the hull of the overturned boat, and it plunged deeper and deeper into the water. From time to time, a wave rolled over its bottom and any wrong movement of one person could sink a fragile ship. Then the second mate ordered all thirty men to stand up, formed them into two lines and forced them to turn their faces to the bow of the boat. When she began to roll, he ordered people to simultaneously lean in one direction or another and thereby equalize the fragile balance. By shifting the weight of the body from one foot to the other, people who were frozen and soaked in ice water not only kept their inverted “vessel” afloat, but also warmed themselves with these movements. Lightoller, on the other hand, encouraged his crew with messages about the imminent approach of help, and indeed - after more than an hour of balancing on the verge of life and death, they were noticed and rescued by rowers from other boats. In truth, the world would be orphaned without courage!

Petr Kovalev

Portal for the student. Self-training

What is courage. Dictionary of Military Terms

Dictionary Ushakov

Dictionary of Military Terms

Pedagogical terminological dictionary

Dictionary of antonyms of the Russian language

Gasparov. Entries and extracts

Bible: Topical Dictionary

The meaning of the word COURAGE in the Explanatory Dictionary of Efremova

See also interpretations, synonyms, meanings of the word and what is COURAGE in Russian in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books:

COURAGE

In antiquity

Into the new time

In military affairs

see also

Write a review on the article "Courage"

Notes

Sources

Passage on Courage

Portal for the student. Self-training

Dictionary Ushakov

Dictionary of Military Terms

Pedagogical terminological dictionary

Dictionary of antonyms of the Russian language

Gasparov. Entries and extracts

Bible: Topical Dictionary

The meaning of the word COURAGE in the Explanatory Dictionary of Efremova

See also interpretations, synonyms, meanings of the word and what is COURAGE in Russian in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books:

COURAGE

In antiquity

Into the new time

In military affairs

see also

Write a review on the article "Courage"

Notes

Sources

Passage on Courage

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