What courage is, how to build it and why you should take a risk

Courage is widely considered a fundamental human virtue. A professor of psychology and a university president break down the components of courageous action.

By: Gregory Crawford, Miami University and Cynthia Pury, Clemson University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 29, 2026

Words: 1,567

Last Updated: 3 months ago

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By Gregory Crawford, Miami University and Cynthia Pury, Clemson University

From ancient epics to contemporary headlines, humans have spent centuries canonizing courage as a rare and admirable virtue. Aristotle writes, “You will never do anything in this world without courage.” But what does it really mean to be courageous, and what does it look like in a classroom or a checkout line?

On April 1, 2026, The Conversation hosted a webinar examining the virtue …

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