Relationship between Courage and Gender

Relationship between Courage and Gender

Both men and woman have intentions and act, so both are capable of

virtue. Virtue ethics as a theory of morality has existed, most

notably, since Aristotle. Courage is one such virtue and to display

this persons need to experience fear and perceive danger. The

circumstances surrounding an act of courage need to be proportionate to

perceived risk to avoid the activity becoming an enterprise of

foolishness. Also the potential costs associated with the risk must be

proportionate to the ends concerning the bravery. These elements

associated with courage are undoubtedly equally available to both sexes

and in the sense of equality feminism woman can and have been

courageous. However, in light of difference feminism, another facet

may need to be added to the modern meaning of courage, as an

acknowledgement that virtues are characterised with respect to

attitudes held within the context of definition.

A virtue is a prescription of how someone should be. It is a

component of character. Aristotle (cited in Hinman, 1998, pp.

334-335), described virtue as being a mean, or average of attitude

which could be uncovered via reasoning and displayed through

personality and behaviour styles. For example, the average between an

excess like contrariness and a deficiency like sycophancy might be

honest opinion.

Hinman mentions further the difference between substantive virtues,

those that are closer to the ethical good, like philanthropy, and

executive virtues those less associated with being morally good and

more directly linked with qualities of desirable persona. Courage is

said to be an executive virtue (Ibid., p. 336).

The virtue of courage contains at least t...

... middle of paper ...

...teria for what is an act or

pre-disposition for courage may have to be modified. This point is

reinforced by moral attitudes apparent in contemporary culture and, is

congruent with Gilligan's notion of difference feminism and Hinman's

ethics of plurality.

Works Cited:

Aitkenson, R. L., Atkinson, R. C., & Hilgard, E. R., (1983). Introduction to Psychology (8th Ed.) San Diego; Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich.

Csongradi, C., (1996). Why the Topic of Bioethics in Science Classes? http://www.gene.com/ae/21st/SER/BE/index.html

Furguson, G. M., (1998). The Spice Girls Space. http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/8699/oneof.html

Hinman, L.., (1998). Ethics (2nd Ed.). San Diego. Harcourt Brace College Publishers.

Reimer, S., (1996). In the Works of the Bard Woman Find True Voices. http://www.sunspot.net/columnists/data/reimer/0721reimer.shtml