Intellectual courage requires acting to promote epistemic goods despite significant risk of harm. Courage is distinguished from recklessness and cowardice because the expected benefit a courageous action outweighs (in some sense) threatened Sometimes, however, inquirers pursue theories that are not best supported by their current evidence. For these inquirers, actions cannot be explained appeal...

In this article the author examines the concepts of moral distress and moral courage within the context of nursing practice. Examples of challenging healthcare situations from the United Kingdom and Ireland are discussed in the light of the examination of these two concepts. The examples illuminate features of healthcare situations that need to be considered in relation to different organisatio...