Courage: The Politics of Life and Limb

Contents

Contents Preface xi one (Re)Introducing Courage 1 The Retreat of Courage 1 The Charge of Reason 4 Cares and Fundamental Cares 7 Communities of Care 14 Modes of Articulation 16 Order of Engagement 17 two Martial Courage and Honor 23 Thermopylae: Martial Courage Epitomized 23 The Fundamental Care: Honor 28 The Fate of the Coward: Dishonor 33 The Fate of the Dishonored: Social Death 41 The Selflessness of Courage 49 The Enduring Appeal of Courage 59 The Civic Good of Martial Courage 77 three Political Courage and Justice 83 Political Courage and the Problem of Violence 83 Pericles, Political Courage, and Democratic Leisure 87 Aristophanes’ Derision of Martial Courage 98 Aristotle and Philokalia 108 Socrates and Achilles 112 Politicians and Generals in the Laches 117 Sophists and Warriors in the Laches 122 Hunter-Philosopher Courage 131 Courageous Citizenship 134 four Moral Courage and Autonomy 139 Suffering Rousseau 139 Natural Courage and the Autonomy of Peoples 142 On the Virtue of the Hero 151 Time, Radical Autonomy, and Friendlessness 159 Emile: First Lessons in Courage 165 Foresight, the Promethean Myth 175 Reading and the New Mode of Articulation 179 The Art of Compassion 183 five Economic Courage and Wealth 191 The Effeminacy of Moral Courage 191 Tocqueville on Honor and Equality 195 Tocqueville’s Sociology of Violence 197 The Relativization of Honor 201 Democratic Honor and Economic Courage 204 Useful Courage and Useful Passions 207 Ennobling Economic Courage 211 viii  Contents Self-Interest Properly Understood 215 The Feminine Character of Economic Courage 223 The Limits of Economic Courage 228 six The Aftermath 235 Taking Measure 235 The Limits of Courage 238 Having No Measure 243 Missing Courage 244 The Virtue of Courage 250 Notes 257 Bibliography 321 Index 353 Contents  ix ...