Conscience

• What did Aquinas believe consciousness to be?

  A rational ability to apply moral knowledge to situations and a guide to someone’s behaviour
• What does consciousness make you feel according to Aquinas?

  Guilt after doing actions
• Aquinas said conscious is our ‘God given reason’
• What is synderesis according to according to Aquinas ?

  our inner understanding within our consciousness, which directs people towards good and away from evil
• What is conscientia according to Aquinas?

  The process of applying syndenesis to real life decisions
• What does a well-formed conscience lead to? (Aquinas)

  Right action based on moral truth
• What can occur when reason is misapplied? (Aquinas)

  Errors in moral judgment can occur
• What does invincible ignorance refer to? (Aquinas)

  Mistake made due to having the incorrect information
• How does invincible ignorance affect moral actions?

  It does not excuse wrong actions
• What does vincible ignorance mean?

  cannot be held accountable for our lack of knowledge
• What is the consequence of acting against one's conscience?

  It leads to moral wrongdoing/sin
• What example does Aquinas use for invincible ignorance ?

  people who live in countries Knowledge is unavailable to learn about Christianity - Amazon forest tribes
• Aquinas’ view is religious
• Aquinas positive AO2

  • explains the human process of reasoning

  • uses invincible + invincible ignorance to explain why people come to different moral conclusions
• Aquinas negative AO2

  • Subjective - good + evil are different across cultures + time

  • Moore - human morals aren’t universal

  • Too optimistic about humans having a good nature
• How does Freud describe conscience?

  Its a psychological construct formed through the development of the superego
• What are the three parts of the human psyche (model of the mind) according to Freud?

  • Id

  • ego

  • superego
• What does the id represent in Freud's model?

  unconscious animalistic desires
• What is the role of the ego in Freud's model?

  acts as the concious rational self
• What does the superego represent in Freud's model?

  A moral regulator of behaviour (given from societal norms or authority figure)
• What is the superego functions as the conscious according to Freud?

  imposes feelings of guilt given to us by authority figures from childhood
• What happens when a person's desires conflict with learned moral standards?

  It creates internal conflict and feelings of guilt
• How does Freud's view differ from that of Aquinas regarding the conscience?

  Freud does not link conscience to divine law or God
• Freuds view isn’t religious
• What story does Freud use to support his point ?

  Oedipus
• How does the story of Oedipus link to the Freuds view of conscience?

  symbolic for the subconscious desires young boys feel (Id)
• Freud positive AO2

  • theory explains parents impact on conscience + people’s different morals

  • Dawkins - natural selection proves we follow the super-ego to survive in society
• Freud negative AO2

  • ignores impact of later life (only childhood)

  • Oedipus story doesn’t apply to all cultures

  • ignores biological factors that affect sexual development
• What did Fletcher define conscience as?

  Something we do - predicting the most loving outcome (agape)
• Fletcher believed conscience to be a verb
• Fletcher opposed traditional views of conscience

  • eg - an internal voice given by God
• Fromm‘s view is non religious
• What is conscience according to Fromm?

  A result of social and cultural conditioning/rules
• What are the two forms of conscience according to Fromm ?

  • authoritarian

  • humanistic
• Explain authoritarian conscience (Fromm)

  Internalising commands from parents or authority out of fear
• Explain humanistic conscience (Fromm)

  internal voice which guide us to help people - influenced by cultural norms