Is it possible that what we usually call courage to be rather a result of timorousness or even surprise?

Question

... for instance, when someone breaks into our house and we are so surprised that we simply react instinctively and beat him up in such a way that not even we can recognize ourselves later in the harshness of our actions... is that courageous?

Answer 1

No, that's unrestrained fear, a sort of unnecessary brutality.

Courage is a controllable emotion that allows us to act in spite of our fears. Courage is knowing/realizing the risks of an activity before willingly engaging in it.

Answer 2

I wouldn't call it courageous, I would call it instinct.  I say that because it requires no thought, no pre-meditation.  In situations like this, survival instincts take over and our brains shut off.

Courageousness...  in my opinion, is weighing the consequences and benefits of an action, and doing it anyway despite what harm you may cause to yourself.

Answer 3

U sound like an EMO

Answer 4

No, self-defense or fear aggression is not the same as true courage. Courage is born out of fear, but is a reasoned choice of something that must be done for a purpose.

The film "300" shows a good example of courage. The Spartans were fearful, and they knew that to stand and fight at the pass at Thermopylae against a larger Persian force would result in their deaths -but they also knew that if they didn't stand and fight many others would also lose their lives. Through the courage of these warriors, the Greek city-states were able to regroup and eventually defeat the Persian invaders. They lost a battle in order to win a war.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23ZqedYqB...  

Answer 5

No, what you describe is not what the word courageous is used for.

Answer 6

When someone invades our

privacy, there is more than

one emotion involved.

Fear, anger, can force

us into action.  It can be

viewed as courage.  

Answer 7

This is the fight or flight response,courage is defined by ones actions and reacting in a certain way can be construed as bravery,so yes they are courageous.

Answer 8

yes you are right, courage is not always the same thing as the survivor instinct or even why a mother protects her offspring, it could be argued that courage requires thought and choice.

Answer 9

To put it simply, it is the animal instinct, for survival

Answer 10

Courage is fearlessness.  They are one and the same.  And they usually appear when there is very little that can be lost but absolutely something to gain.  

Answer 11

lawyou