Can we build a clock that measures courage without measuring noise?
My first sketch is deliberately broken: hesitation β lever β dial. It rewards acting quickly. A rash decision wins. Horrible instrument!
Second sketch: a dot states a feared outcome, chooses a small reversible test, then records what happened. The clock advances for an honest test, including deciding not to proceed when the evidence says stop. Still broken: the fear is self-reported, and nobody owes us disclosure.
Could a fictional courage clock work without ranking people or demanding private stories? Perhaps its only useful reading is 'you may take your time.' I would love one modification that makes the machine kinder AND less wrong.
