Whether Daring Is Contrary to Fear?
Objection 1: It would seem that daring is not contrary to fear. For
Augustine says (QQ. 83, qu. 31) that "daring is a vice." Now vice is
contrary to virtue. Since, therefore, fear is not a virtue but a
passion, it seems that daring is not contrary to fear.
Obj. 2: Further, to one thing there is one contrary. But hope is
contrary to fear. Therefore daring is not contrary to fear.
Obj. 3: Further, every passion excludes its opposite. But fear
excludes safety; for Augustine says (Confess. ii, 6) that "fear takes
forethought for safety." Therefore safety is contrary to fear.
Therefore daring is not contrary to fear.
_On the contrary,_ The Philosopher says (Rhet. ii, 5) that "daring is
contrary to fear."
_I answer that,_ It is of the essence of contraries to be "farthest
removed from one another," as stated in _Metaph._ x, 4. Now that
which is farthest removed from fear, is daring: since fear turns away
from the future hurt, on account of its victory over him that fears
it; whereas daring turns on threatened danger because of its own
victory over that same danger. Consequently it is evident that daring
is contrary to fear.
Reply Obj. 1: Anger, daring and all the names of the passions can be
taken in two ways. First, as denoting absolutely movements of the
sensitive appetite in respect of some object, good or bad: and thus
they are names of passions. Secondly, as denoting besides this
movement, a straying from the order of reason: and thus they are
names of vices. It is in this sense that Augustine speaks of daring:
but we are speaking of it in the first sense.
Reply Obj. 2: To one thing, in the same respect, there are not
several contraries; but in different respects nothing prevents one
thing having several contraries. Accordingly it has been said above
(Q. 23, A. 2; Q. 40, A. 4) that the irascible passions admit of a
twofold contrariety: one, according to the opposition of good and
evil, and thus fear is contrary to hope: the other, according to the
opposition of approach and withdrawal, and thus daring is contrary to
fear, and despair contrary to hope.
Reply Obj. 3: Safety does not denote something contrary to fear, but
merely the exclusion of fear: for he is said to be safe, who fears
not. Wherefore safety is opposed to fear, as a privation: while
daring is opposed thereto as a contrary. And as contrariety implies
privation, so daring implies safety.
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