What is Courage, and How is it Lived in Daily Life?

Courage

What is Courage?

Defining Courage

Courage is often described as a virtue that enables the other virtues. But what does this mean and how does one practice courage? This animated video explores different aspects of courage and what it might look like to live out the virtue.

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Courage in Action

documentary short

building something new

Carla Walker-Miller, Founder & CEO of Walker-Miller Energy Services, often says “courage is a renewable resource.” This short documentary explores how she practices courage, humility, and compassion in the workplace.

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more videos

case studies

Medicine

First, Do No Harm

A surgical resident must decide whether to admit he feels unprepared for a difficult procedure, despite his supervisor’s confidence.

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Law

On the Record

A lawyer must decide whether challenging a judge’s questionable ruling is worth risking his career.

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Engineering

The Weld That Passed

An engineer must decide whether protecting public safety justifies reporting dangerous pipeline welds to federal regulators, despite the risk to his career and family.

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Business

The Forecast Nobody Wants to Hear

A junior analyst must decide whether to risk her standing by challenging growth projections that may understate serious competitive threats.

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class resources

Economics

Syllabus: Economic Inequality

This course asks students to examine inequality from multiple perspectives, weighing its causes, consequences, and possible policy responses.

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Education

Syllabus: Supervision & Instruction

Future school leaders practice leadership virtues, character development, and practical wisdom as they learn to build more ethical, responsive, and caring school communities.

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Religion

Syllabus: Disability Ethics

Through first-person disability narratives, campus accessibility work, and engagement with disability mentors, students learn to challenge harmful assumptions and advocate for communities where disabled lives are honored.

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Philosophy

Assignment: Intellectual Responsibility

Using at least three reputable news sources, students describe a real-world case involving a controversial use of data by AI, consider the ethical implications of how data is being used, and recommend ways to avoid unethical data practices.

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Business

Assignment: Failing Wisely Paper

A case study assignment in which entrepreneurship students analyze a failed venture or founder, identifying the decisions, conditions, and missing virtues that shaped the failure and what it means to fail wisely.

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Philosophy

Assignment: Attention and Empathy

A reflective philosophy assignment in which students practice “philosophical living” through focused attention, listening, dialogue, and empathy, then connect those experiences to the virtues of hopeful citizenship.

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Business

Syllabus: Ethics of Entrepreneurship

This course explores the ethical challenges faced by founders and entrepreneurial teams—from exaggerating a pitch to misusing customer data or automating bias in AI.

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