Chapter 9 The Role of Conscience

• Different notions of conscience

  • Hebrew Scriptures
  • "Book of the Dead"
  • Greek Penandros
  • Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita
  • Chinese concept of Ren
  • Buddha's perspective
• Hebrew Scriptures


  Typically understood as the feeling in one's heart, or of the voice of God in one's soul
• "Book of the Dead"


  Egyptians put forward an examination of conscience, or rather profession of innocence, before the Supreme Judge after death
• Greek Penandros

  "A good conscience" was true freedom
• Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita


  The label given to attributes composing knowledge about good and evil, that a soul acquires from the completion of acts and consequent accretion of karma over many lifetimes
• Chinese concept of Ren


  Conscience, along with social etiquette and correct relationships, assist humans to follow The Way (Tao)
• Buddha's perspective


  Links the positive aspect of conscience to a pure heart and a calm, well-directed mind
• Conscience is regarded as a spiritual power, and one of the "Guardians of the World"
• Conscience's association


  Associated with compassion for those who must endure cravings and suffering in the world until right conduct culminates in right mindfulness and right contemplation
• Conscience does not exist apart from man’s intellect or free will
• Conscience


  Not the “source” of morality, but rather is its “servant”
• Term “conscience”


  Latin “conscientia” (con = with; scientia = knowledge) and Greek “suneidenai” (sun = to share; eidenai = knowledge)
• Conscience


  Implies the external sources of morality, such as God or religions, or the influence of one’s culture or upbringing in conscience-formation
• Conscience formation


  1. Involves introspection

  2. Awareness of one’s behaviour

  3. Self-assessment

  4. Feelings of remorse
• Critical conscience


  Defined as the practical reason employed when applying moral convictions to a situation
• Conscience's internal awareness


  Accompanied by 'inner light' and approbation or 'inner darkness' and condemnation
• St. Thomas Aquinas


  Regarded conscience as the application of moral knowledge to a particular case
• Albert Einstein: '“The inner voice” reflects that he "has, to the best of his ability, liberated himself from the fetters of his selfish desires and is preoccupied with thoughts, feelings and aspirations to which he clings because of their super-personal value."'
• Conscience is ordered to the task of holding to the most fundamental of all moral precepts: do good and avoid evil
• Conscience's judgement


  Renders a judgement about the goodness or evil of a particular act or choice in the specific circumstances of the moment
• Conscience evaluates


  The choice one has made to determine whether or not the good is chosen and the evil shunned
• All men and women suffer the effects of sin
• Human intellect is fallible
• It is possible for the judgement of conscience to be in error
• Conscience may not be able to render a judgement that conforms to objective moral truth
• Ignorance


  Can be willful or vincible
• Vincible ignorance


  A person would have had the means available to overcome a lack of knowledge or misunderstanding of a particular moral precept
• A person acting on the basis of vincible ignorance is morally responsible for the choices that are made
• Invincible ignorance


  When a person’s lack of awareness or misunderstanding of a particular moral obligation is not voluntary and beyond the ability of the person to overcome it
• A person acting on the basis of invincible ignorance is not morally responsible for his actions or choices
• He may not be morally responsible for the evil he committed, he and others may be affected by it
• Civil disobedience


  Should be viewed as an appeal, warning or admonishment that a law breaches a community's fundamental virtue of justice
• A person must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience
• The Catholic Church states that man must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience
• A person must not be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters
• United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) articles referring to conscience


  • Human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights
  • Has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion
  • Have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion
• These articles provide international legal obligations protecting conscientious objectors from service in the military
• St. Thomas More was executed for refusing to submit to the religious authority of English King Henry VIII, citing that he could not do so in good conscience
• In Nazi Germany/Austria, Franz Jagerstatter refused to participate in the Nazi military, and for this he was beheaded
• Sister Agnes Walsh, a Daughter of Charity, is remembered for her heroism in France during World War II