I quoted those words because I found them interesting and confusing!
As for your comment, I think one has to choose how to exercise a particular value given particular circumstances. E.g. molten lava is heading towards me, I choose to courageously run away rather than courageously wait for the lava to kill me.
With regard to feelings of fear and confidence courage is the mean; of the people who exceed, he who exceeds in fearlessness has no name . . . while the man who exceeds in confidence is rash, and he who exceeds in fear and falls short in confidence is a coward.
The coward, the rash man, and the brave man, then, are concerned with the same objects but are differently disposed toward them; for the first two exceed and fall short, while the third holds the middle, which is the right, position.
Why confusing?
Perhaps my confusion stems from your linking of values to achievements over adversity.
Can’t we also point to the goodness (or otherwise) of a concept through other means such as
-visceral reactions
-thought experiments
Interesting thought.
On an individual level, based on inherited morals or moral foundations. Yes, perhaps.
On a societal level of a people, I don't think so. Morality comes from what has been overcome.
Anything else would not be rooted in life, but fiction driven by fear and greed.
I don't believe in non-functional fiction.
