Moral courage is the courage to take action for moral reasons despite the risk of adverse consequences.
Courage is required to take action when one has doubts or fears about the consequences. Moral courage therefore involves deliberation or careful thought. Reflex action or dogmatic fanaticism do not involve moral courage because such impulsive actions are not based upon moral reasoning.
Moral courage may also require physical courage when the consequences are punishment or other bodily peril.
Famous quotes containing the words moral and/or courage:
“Alas! the culture of an Irishman is an enterprise to be undertaken with a sort of moral bog hoe.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“War alone brings up to their highest tension all human energies and imposes the stamp of nobility upon the peoples who have the courage to make it.”
—Benito Mussolini (1883–1945)