Final answer:
Moral courage is an individual's drive to act in accordance with ethical principles, reflecting intrinsic values and conscience. Philosophers like Kant and Aristotle provide frameworks for understanding how reasoning and virtuous character lead to morally courageous actions. It encompasses doing the right thing as dictated by duty or virtue, often in difficult circumstances.
Step-by-step explanation:
Moral courage is the willingness and desire of an individual that results in action that reflects (through knowledge, instinct and/or reasoning) the "right thing to do," regardless of difficulty. This concept can be examined in the context of ethical theories, such as those of Immanuel Kant and Aristotle. Kant's perspective focuses on duty and the application of his categorical imperative, emphasizing that an action is moral if it can be a universal law.
From these philosophical views, it is clear that moral courage involves a complex interplay of reasoning, self-awareness, and principles. It relates to an individual's drive to do what is morally right, often in the face of adversity or personal cost, guided by a well-formed conscience and ethical reasoning. In essence, it is about committing to moral principles and taking actions consistent with them, reflecting one's character and the intrinsic value of having a good will.