8) Conscience Flashcards
Conscience?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
A person’s moral sense of right and wrong
What’s Aquinas’ definition of ratio?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
the idea that humans have the reason and ability to make moral judgements
(reason)
synderesis?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
the inner principle directing a person towards good and away evil
synderesis rule?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
do good and avoid evil
Aquinas’ quote
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
“It is therefore clear that ‘synderesis’ is not a power, but a natural habit”
sensuality?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
tempts us to do evil, pleasures
How did reason come about according to Aquinas?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
- He believes that reason came from God as we were “ made in God’s image”
- Our responsibility to use our God-given reason to make correct judgements
- virtue of prudence
Vincible ignorance?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
ignorance that could be overcome with effort, and the person is responsible for it.
* Example: someone refuses to learn about the harmful effects of smoking, despite having access to reliable information about the dangers. In this case, their ignorance about the risks of smoking is vincible because of their negligence
Invincible ignorance?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
ignorance that cannot be overcome due to circumstances, and the person is not morally responsible for it.
* Example: someone raised in a culture where it’s common to believe a harmful practice is acceptable, this is considered invincibly ignorant as they have no access to information that contradicts their belief.
What did the pope Benedict say about Jesus’ punishment?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
“They are shouting the same thing that everyone else is shouting. And in this way, justice is trampled underfoot”
He beleived that people acted like sheep, following the authoritative figure and not speaking for themselves.
conscienca?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
conscience in action
* when ratio is used to inform syderesis and this results in acting upon your conscience to do the right thing
Aquinas on invincible ignorance?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
Example: He considers a situation where a man’s mistaken reason causes him to sleep with another man’s wife, the man misjudged and thought that the woman was his real wife, and if she wants him , then this free will is free from fault
* Aquinas believes the person is not blameworthy for invincible ignorance as it was a genuine mistake
* Aquinas believes that God won’t even condemn humans for their invincible ignorance, that if they fear God with genuinity then they will be forgiven
Catholic church on Aquinas’ views?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
The Catholic Church has embraced Aquinas’ views on conscience, particularly his emphasis on natural law, moral responsibility, and the need for a well-formed conscience. However, the Church also acknowledges the possibility of a misguided conscience, so encourages ongoing education and spiritual growth to align one’s conscience with divine and natural law.
Strengths of Aquinas’ view on conscience?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
- Rational foundation: Aquinas bases conscience on human reason, which provides a logical framework for moral decision-making.
- Objective morality: He connects conscience to universal moral principles, ensuring that it’s based on natural law.
- Conscience is seen as a guide that leads people towards good by applying universal principles to specific situations.
- Emphasises the importance of following one’s conscience, giving individuals a sense of moral responsibility for their actions.
- Encourages individuals to cultivate a well-formed conscience
Weaknesses of Aquinas’ view on conscience?
Thomas Aquinas on conscience
- Aquinas’ view may overlook the emotional, intuitive, or subjective aspects of moral decision-making. Not all moral choices are purely rational.
- Cultural differences: Aquinas assumes a universal application of natural law but cultural differences can lead to varied moral judgments, not as universal as it seems
- Possible conflict: Conscience might conflict with external authority (e.g., church, state), should individuals follow their conscience or submit to external laws?
- Misguided conscience: Aquinas does not fully account for the possibility of a misguided conscience (e.g., someone sincerely believing something immoral is right).
- Justifiation for invincible ignorance: some situations should have people condemned for that action they comitted even if it was unbenknownst to them.
What is Sigmund freud’s belief on conscience?
Sigmund Freud on conscience
conscience is not based on rational decision-making, it is a product of psychological factors that influence human beings in a way that may or may not be healthy
* the development of children heavily influences the actions the children will partake in
* environment, society
What are the psychological stages?
Sigmund Freud on conscience
- Oral: concerned with sucking and swallowing, pleasures associated with the mouth
- Anal: concerned with excretion, child enjoys bowel movement
- Phallic: oepidus complex
- Latency: child focuses on learning, developing social skills , absence of sexual motviation
- Genital: concerned with sexual intercourse
what are the three aspects of human personality?
Sigmund Freud on conscience
- Id:
* The id represents the unconscious part of the mind that is driven by basic instincts and desires.
* It operates on the pleasure principle, meaning it seeks immediate gratification of basic needs and desires without considering consequences or social rules. - Ego:
* The ego is the rational and conscious part of the personality that develops to deal with reality. Applies the reality principle, meaning it works to satisfy the id’s desires in ways that are socially acceptable and realistic. - The super-ego:
* represents the moral component of personality. It is influenced by societal rules, ethical standards, and cultural norms. It strives for perfection and judges actions based on what is right or wrong, often leading to feelings of guilt or pride.
Strengths of Sigmund Freud’s view on conscience?
Sigmund Freud on conscience
- Provides a psychological experience on our conscience
- He attempts to use empirical evidence to scientifically explain the conscience
- Richard Dawkins’ theory of evolution, expands on Freud’s foundation of the conscience, mentions how over many generations humans may have developed “treating others better” as a desirable trait
- Contribution to Therapy: the role of the unconscious informed the unconscious conflicts to consciousness, helping people understand their moral struggles.
Weaknesses of Sigmund Freud’s view on conscience?
Sigmund Freud on conscience
- Freud is an atheist and assumes that guilt is a natural ocurrence within humans, he ignores the possibility of it being God-given.
- Lack of Empirical Evidence: Freud’s theories were based on clinical observations and case studies, rather than controlled experiments or empirical data, making them difficult to verify scientifically.
- Pessimistic View of Human Nature: Freud’s view that human beings are often in conflict due to unconscious desires may present a negative view of human nature, suggesting that we are constantly battling our instincts and societal expectations.
