MORAL

COURAGE
1. The Importance of Will
and Moral Courage
A good rational moral decision is
not always executed. It is one
thing to know a good moral act,
and it is another to actually execute it.
Oftentimes, what is lacking is the moral
courage, which necessarily involves the concept
of will. In morality therefore, will is essential
just as reason is significant

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 Moral
courage “
requires that we rise above the apathy,
complacency, hatred, cynicism, and
fearmongering in our political systems,
socioeconomic divisions and
cultural/religious
differences
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 (“Moral Courage” n.d)

One sense of the concept of

‘will’ refers to that faculty of the mind

WILL which chooses, at the moment of

making decision, the strongest desire
from among the various desires present
does
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“ Will
not
refer to
any particular desire, but rather
to the capacity to act decisively
on one’s desires.

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 “
Within philosophy the will is
important as one of the distinct

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parts of the mind, along with reason and
understanding.

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 “
It is

considered important in ethics

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because of its central role in enabling a person
to act deliberately.

(“Desire,” n.d.)

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Arthur Schopenhauer
A German philosopher explained that
when we became conscious of
ourselves, we recognize that our
essential qualities are endless urging,
craving, striving, wanting, and desiring.
He said that these are features of that
which we call our will.

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 “
Will is the

innermost essence, the kernel, of every

particular thing and also of the whole. It
appears

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in every blindly acting force of
nature, and also in the
deliberate conduct of man
Arthur Schopenhauer

He believed that the will is primary and

uses knowledge in order to find an
object that will satisfy its craving.

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 Refers to the “inner strength to
make a decision, take action, and
handle and execute any aim or task
until it is accomplished, regardless
of inner and outer resistance,
WILL POWER discomfort or difficulties
It bestows the ability to overcome
laziness, temptations and negative
habits, and to carry out actions, even

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if they require effort, are unpleasant and tedious
or are contrary to one’s habits

(“Developing Will Power and Self Discipline,” n.d.)

Moral Courage sounds like

◎ I believe strongly in ◎ That joke was
… offensive to … ◎
Let’s volunteer
◎ Dad, I’m in trouble

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◎ It’s not fair that … ◎ You can depend on
◎ I broke this, sorry me.

◎ I’ll march with you

◎ No, thanks, I don’t
want to hear a
secret
◎ Will you sign this
petition?

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Lack of Moral Courage sounds like
◎ It’s none of my ◎ How could you
business do this to me?
◎ She got what she ◎ It’s not for me to
deserved judge
◎ That’s got ◎ I only did it once
nothing to do ◎ That is all your
with me fault
◎ Just let it slide

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◎ Don’t make ◎ I might get in
waves trouble
◎ Nobody ever
gives me a
break

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2. Developing Will and Moral Courage

◎ Develop and practice self-

discipline
Developing will and moral courage is to
develop and practice self-discipline. The

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concept of self-discipline involves the
rejection of instant gratification in favor
something better.

It may refer to the giving up of instant

pleasure and satisfaction for a higher and
better goal such as executing a good
rational moral decision.

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2. Developing Will and Moral Courage

◎ Develop and practice self-

discipline
Developing will and moral courage
involves developing self-control. It

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includes nurturing the ability to stick to
actions, thoughts, and behavior, which
lead to moral improvement and success.

It encompasses endowing the inner

strength to focus all the energy on a moral
goal and preserve until it is accomplished.

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2. Developing Will and Moral Courage

◎ Do mental strength training

This method is never reserved for a few
special people. One of the most simple
and effective methods under this mental

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strength training involves declining to
satisfy unimportant and unnecessary
desires.

Everybody is normally confronted and

tempted by an endless stream of craving
and temptations. By practicing to refuse
to gratify every one of them, a person gets
courageous and stronger.

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2. Developing Will and Moral Courage

◎ Do mental strength training

Saying useless, harmful or unnecessary
desires and deeds, and behaving contrary

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to one’s (bad) habits, fortify and refine a
person’s mindset.

By persistent practice, one’s inner power

grows, in the same way working out one’s
muscles at a gym increases one’s physical
strength.

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2. Developing Will and Moral

Courage
◎ Do mental strength training
◉ Don’t open the internet for a day or two
◉ Drink water or juice, in spite of your desire to have
a beer of liquor

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◉ Avoid chatting with your gossipy friend
◉ For a week, go to sleep one hour earlier than usual
◉ Resist the desire to gamble

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2. Developing Will and Moral

Courage
◎ Draw inspiration from people of great
courage

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People usually admire and respect
courageous persons who have great
success by manifesting self-discipline and
will power. These include people in all
walk of life, who with sheer will power
and moral courage, overcame difficulties
and hardships, have improved their moral
life advanced moral on the spiritual or
moral path, and became worthy of
imitation.

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2. Developing Will and Moral

Courage
◎ Repeatedly do acts that exhibit moral
courage and will

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 Practice makes perfect. Of one
wishes to nurture the moral courage
and will in him, he must strive doing
that acts that manifest them
whenever opportunity allows it.
◎ Helping someone pushing a car, even if it
means being late.
◎ Standing up to a bully on the playground
◎ Picking up litter

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◎ Doing homework or chores without
being reminded
◎ Practicing what you preach, even when no-
one is looking or knows
◎ Reporting crime
◎ Participating in a peaceful protest

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2. Developing Will and Moral

Courage
◎ Avoid deeds that shows lack of moral
courage and will

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 This involves evading acts that
shows irresponsibility, cowardice,
apathy, rashness, imprudence, ill
will, and wickedness.
◎ Walking away from someone in need
◎ Taking money than your fair share
◎ Laughing at someone’s misfortune or
accident

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◎ Grabbing the spotlight from someone who
has earned it
◎ Placing too mush reliance on the letter
rather than the spirit of the law
◎ Remaining silent in the face of work-doing
or injustice
◎ Breaking promise
◎ Lying or cheating

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 Thanks!

Any questions?
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