Aristotle advanced the concept of "The Golden Means" in relation to the virtues. He argued that in the possession and display of the preferred virtues, each virtue must be properly balanced. On the one hand, a particular virtue may be possessed to the point of excess. On the other hand, the same virtue may be possessed to the point of deficiency. For example, Aristotle considers the virtue of Courage. In a moral context, an individual may possess Courage excessively and this excess will manifest itself in the forms of foolhardiness. However, the individual may possess a deficiency of Courage and this deficiency will be manifested in the form of cowardliness. For Aristotle, any virtue which the individual may strive to cultivate in life is liable to the extremes of excess or deficiency.
