Conscience

Question 1

Which Philosophers are associated with the conscience?

Answer 1

• Kohlberg
• Freud
• Aquinas

Question 2

According to Kohlberg, the conscience is shaped by…

Answer 2

a person’s cognitive and moral development which is influenced by various social and cultural factors

Question 3

Kohlberg believed that individuals progress through…

Answer 3

stages of moral reasoning and that the development of the conscience is an ongoing process that continues throughout a person’s life

Question 4

According to Kohlberg, what are the stages of moral reasoning?

Answer 4

• pre-conventional
• conventional
• post-conventional

Question 5

The pre-conventional stage of moral reasoning

Answer 5

Individuals are focused on their own self-interest and avoiding punishment

Question 6

The conventional stage of moral reasoning

Answer 6

Individuals are focused on social norms and values

Question 7

The post-conventional stage of moral reasoning

Answer 7

Individuals are focused on universal ethical principles and personal moral codes

Question 8

A way in which Kohlberg illustrates the development of the conscience is through the…

Answer 8

Heinz dilemma

Question 9

What is the Heinz dilemma?

Answer 9

a story about an ethical dilemma faced by a character named Heinz that was used by Kohlberg to assess the moral reasoning skills of those he asked to respond to it - Heinz must decide whether to steal an expensive drug to save his dying wife

Question 10

Sigmund Freud’s view on the conscience

Answer 10

Sigmund Freud rejects conscience as being God-given or even developed through social interaction but rather is psychologically created to stop ourselves from carrying out our base desires. Freud does not believe in a soul but rather that we feel conscience through our guilt and does this by splitting up the conscience into three parts

Question 11

What three parts does Freud split the conscience into?

Answer 11

Id
Ego
Super-ego

Question 12

Id

Answer 12

The part of our mind concerned with our basic drives (such as hunger, thirst and sexual desires)

Question 13

Ego

Answer 13

Tries to find a balance between the id’s desires and the demands of the external world

Question 14

Super-ego

Answer 14

Represents our internalised sense of morality and social standards. The super-ego is often described as the conscience because it is responsible for feelings of guilt and shame when we act in ways that violate our moral standards or social norms

Question 15

Aquinas’ view of the conscience

Answer 15

Aquinas believed that the conscience is a rational judgement of right and wrong and it is given to us by God

Question 16

According to Aquinas, what is the fundamental principle of the conscience?

Answer 16

Synderisis, which is an inherent awareness of the universal moral principles, such as “do good and avoid evil”

Question 17

Formation and Education (Aquinas)

Answer 17

He emphasised the importance of conscience formation and education - stating that individuals need to cultivate their conscience by learning and adhering to moral principles (such as the Ten Commandments)