Part III (Secunda Secundae) Part 190 (1/2)

Whether Fearlessness Is Opposed to Fort.i.tude?

Objection 1: It seems that fearlessness is not opposed to fort.i.tude.

For we judge of habits by their acts. Now no act of fort.i.tude is hindered by a man being fearless: since if fear be removed, one is both brave to endure, and daring to attack. Therefore fearlessness is not opposed to fort.i.tude.

Obj. 2: Further, fearlessness is a vice, either through lack of due love, or on account of pride, or by reason of folly. Now lack of due love is opposed to charity, pride is contrary to humility, and folly to prudence or wisdom. Therefore the vice of fearlessness is not opposed to fort.i.tude.

Obj. 3: Further, vices are opposed to virtue and extremes to the mean. But one mean has only one extreme on the one side. Since then fort.i.tude has fear opposed to it on the one side and daring on the other, it seems that fearlessness is not opposed thereto.

_On the contrary,_ The Philosopher (Ethic. iii) reckons fearlessness to be opposed to fort.i.tude.

_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 123, A. 3), fort.i.tude is concerned about fear and daring. Now every moral virtue observes the rational mean in the matter about which it is concerned. Hence it belongs to fort.i.tude that man should moderate his fear according to reason, namely that he should fear what he ought, and when he ought, and so forth. Now this mode of reason may be corrupted either by excess or by deficiency. Wherefore just as timidity is opposed to fort.i.tude by excess of fear, in so far as a man fears what he ought not, and as he ought not, so too fearlessness is opposed thereto by deficiency of fear, in so far as a man fears not what he ought to fear.

Reply Obj. 1: The act of fort.i.tude is to endure death without fear, and to be aggressive, not anyhow, but according to reason: this the fearless man does not do.

Reply Obj. 2: Fearlessness by its specific nature corrupts the mean of fort.i.tude, wherefore it is opposed to fort.i.tude directly. But in respect of its causes nothing hinders it from being opposed to other virtues.

Reply Obj. 3: The vice of daring is opposed to fort.i.tude by excess of daring, and fearlessness by deficiency of fear. Fort.i.tude imposes the mean on each pa.s.sion. Hence there is nothing unreasonable in its having different extremes in different respects.

_______________________

QUESTION 127

OF DARING*

[*Excessive daring or foolhardiness]

(In Two Articles)

We must now consider daring; and under this head there are two points of inquiry:

(1) Whether daring is a sin?

(2) Whether it is opposed to fort.i.tude?

_______________________

FIRST ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 127, Art. 1]

Whether Daring Is a Sin?

Objection 1: It seems that daring is not a sin. For it is written (Job 39:21) concerning the horse, by which according to Gregory (Moral. x.x.xi) the G.o.dly preacher is denoted, that ”he goeth forth boldly to meet armed men [*Vulg.: 'he pranceth boldly, he goeth forth to meet armed men'].” But no vice redounds to a man's praise.

Therefore it is not a sin to be daring.

Obj. 2: Further, according to the Philosopher (Ethic. vi, 9), ”one should take counsel in thought, and do quickly what has been counseled.” But daring helps this quickness in doing. Therefore daring is not sinful but praiseworthy.

Obj. 3: Further, daring is a pa.s.sion caused by hope, as stated above (I-II, Q. 45, A. 2) when we were treating of the pa.s.sions. But hope is accounted not a sin but a virtue. Neither therefore should daring be accounted a sin.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ecclus. 8:18): ”Go not on the way with a bold man, lest he burden thee with his evils.” Now no man's fellows.h.i.+p is to be avoided save on account of sin. Therefore daring is a sin.

_I answer that,_ Daring, as stated above (I-II, Q. 23, A. 1; Q. 55), is a pa.s.sion. Now a pa.s.sion is sometimes moderated according to reason, and sometimes it lacks moderation, either by excess or by deficiency, and on this account the pa.s.sion is sinful. Again, the names of the pa.s.sions are sometimes employed in the sense of excess, thus we speak of anger meaning not any but excessive anger, in which case it is sinful, and in the same way daring as implying excess is accounted a sin.

Reply Obj. 1: The daring spoken of there is that which is moderated by reason, for in that sense it belongs to the virtue of fort.i.tude.

Reply Obj. 2: It is praiseworthy to act quickly after taking counsel, which is an act of reason. But to wish to act quickly before taking counsel is not praiseworthy but sinful; for this would be to act rashly, which is a vice contrary to prudence, as stated above (Q. 58, A. 3). Wherefore daring which leads one to act quickly is so far praiseworthy as it is directed by reason.