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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 “
Doing the right thing even at the risk of
inconvenience, ridicule, punishment, loss
of job or security or social status, etc.

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 “
Moral courage requires that we rise above the
apathy, complacency, hatred, cynicism, and fear-
mongering in our political systems,
socioeconomic divisions and cultural/religious
differences

(“Moral Courage” n.d)

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 One sense of the concept of
‘will’ refers to that faculty of the
mind which chooses, at the

WILL moment of making decision, the

strongest desire from among the
various desires present

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 “
Will does 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 parts of the mind,
along with reason and understanding.

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 “
It is considered important in ethics
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
in every blindly acting force of nature, and also in
the deliberate conduct of man

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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,
WILL POWER regardless of inner and outer
resistance, discomfort or
difficulties

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 It bestows the ability to
overcome laziness, temptations
and negative habits, and to carry
out actions, even if they require
WILL POWER effort, are unpleasant and
tedious or are contrary to one’s
habits

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

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Moral Courage sounds like
◎ I believe strongly in ◎ I’ll march with you
… ◎ No, thanks, I don’t
◎ That joke was want to hear a secret
offensive to … ◎ Will you sign this
◎ Let’s volunteer petition?
◎ Dad, I’m in trouble ◎ You can depend on
◎ It’s not fair that … me.
◎ I broke this, sorry

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Lack of Moral Courage sounds like
◎ It’s none of my ◎ I only did it once
business ◎ That is all your fault
◎ She got what she ◎ Just let it slide
deserved
◎ Don’t make waves
◎ That’s got nothing to
◎ Nobody ever gives
do with me
me a break
◎ How could you do
◎ I might get in
this to me?
trouble
◎ It’s not for me to
judge
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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 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 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 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 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
◉ 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

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

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.

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◎ Helping someone pushing a car, even if it means
being late.
◎ Standing up to a bully on the playground
◎ Picking up litter
◎ 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

This involves evading acts that shows

irresponsibility, cowardice, apathy, rashness,
imprudence, ill will, and wickedness.

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◎ Walking away from someone in need
◎ Taking money than your fair share
◎ Laughing at someone’s misfortune or accident
◎ 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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