Whether Fear Makes One Suitable for Counsel?
Objection 1: It would seem that fear does not make one suitable for
counsel. For the same thing cannot be conducive to counsel, and a
hindrance thereto. But fear hinders counsel: because every passion
disturbs repose, which is requisite for the good use of reason.
Therefore fear does not make a man suitable for counsel.
Obj. 2: Further, counsel is an act of reason, in thinking and
deliberating about the future. But a certain fear "drives away all
thought, and dislocates the mind," as Cicero observes (De Quaest.
Tusc. iv, 8). Therefore fear does not conduce to counsel, but
hinders it.
Obj. 3: Further, just as we have recourse to counsel in order to
avoid evil, so do we, in order to attain good things. But whereas
fear is of evil to be avoided, so is hope of good things to be
obtained. Therefore fear is not more conducive to counsel, than hope
is.
_On the contrary,_ The Philosopher says (Rhet. ii, 5) that "fear
makes men of counsel."
_I answer that,_ A man of counsel may be taken in two ways. First,
from his being willing or anxious to take counsel. And thus fear
makes men of counsel. Because, as the Philosopher says (Ethic. iii,
3), "we take counsel on great matters, because therein we distrust
ourselves." Now things which make us afraid, are not simply evil, but
have a certain magnitude, both because they seem difficult to repel,
and because they are apprehended as near to us, as stated above (Q.
42, A. 2). Wherefore men seek for counsel especially when they are
afraid.
Secondly, a man of counsel means one who is apt for giving good
counsel: and in this sense, neither fear nor any passion makes men of
counsel. Because when a man is affected by a passion, things seem to
him greater or smaller than they really are: thus to a lover, what he
loves seems better; to him that fears, what he fears seems more
dreadful. Consequently owing to the want of right judgment, every
passion, considered in itself, hinders the faculty of giving good
counsel.
This suffices for the Reply to the First Objection.
Reply Obj. 2: The stronger a passion is, the greater the hindrance is
it to the man who is swayed by it. Consequently, when fear is
intense, man does indeed wish to take counsel, but his thoughts are
so disturbed, that he can find no counsel. If, however, the fear be
slight, so as to make a man wish to take counsel, without gravely
disturbing the reason; it may even make it easier for him to take
good counsel, by reason of his ensuing carefulness.
Reply Obj. 3: Hope also makes man a good counsellor: because, as the
Philosopher says (Rhet. ii, 5), "no man takes counsel in matters he
despairs of," nor about impossible things, as he says in _Ethic._
iii, 3. But fear incites to counsel more than hope does. Because hope
is of good things, as being possible of attainment; whereas fear is
of evil things, as being difficult to repel, so that fear regards the
aspect of difficulty more than hope does. And it is in matters of
difficulty, especially when we distrust ourselves, that we take
counsel, as stated above.
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