Conscience

Question 1

What is the Roman Catholic view of Conscience?

Answer 1

• The voice inside, a deep interior sense of right and wrong.
• Tries to tell you to do the good.
• Conscience rationally judges actions, Catholics think that this is the voice of God.

Question 2

What did Church father’s call conscience?

Answer 2

Synderesis, sparks us to do good and avoid evil.

Question 3

What do the catechisms say about conscience?

Answer 3

‘The prudent man can hear God speaking’.

Question 4

What is the definition of ratio?

Answer 4

Word used by Aquinas to describe reason, something placed in everyone as a result of being created in the image of God.
It’s not a superpower, ability to make right decisions through reason. Gift from God (imago dei)
Distinguishes us from other animals.

Question 5

What is the definition of Synderesis?

Answer 5

For Aquinas, to follow good and avoid the evil.

Question 6

Why is Freud’s view of conscience similar to Plato’s view on the soul?

Answer 6

• Similar to Plato’s tripartite view on the soul.
• Charioteer, ID, Ego, Superego.

Question 7

What is conscientia?

Answer 7

Name Aquinas gives to process whereby a persons reason makes moral judgements.

Question 8

What is Aquinas’ key quote about conscience?

Answer 8

Conscience is the ‘mind of man making moral judgements’.

Question 9

Why does Aquinas’ thinking reach beyond social justice?

Answer 9

Ratio helps us connect to divine and eternal realm, morality is not just following laws of what is culturally, socially and politically ‘normal’.

Question 10

How does the Pope agree with Aquinas’ view that conscience is linked to divine truth?

Answer 10

Pope Benedict XVI reflects on Jesus’ trial, ‘they are all shouting the same thing that everyone else is shouting’.
All argue for the same moral action.
Can be argued against: Holocaust.

Question 11

What is Aquinas’ view on Synderesis?

Answer 11

It directs us to do good and stay away from evil, yet there is sensuality that tempts us to do evil, such as in the Garden of Eden.
Aquinas thinks we lean towards goodness before evil, unlike Augustine who thinks we are fundamentally bad.

Question 12

What does Aquinas say about Conscientia?

Answer 12

Conscience is the act/process of making a moral judgement. Ratio is used to inform synderesis to act on the right thing.
‘It is clear that conscience is an act’.

Question 13

What is Aquinas’ view on ignorance?

Answer 13

• Aquinas recognises that mistakes can be made if we fall into sensuality.
• But sometimes we make a mistake based on ‘right’ ignorance (if your ignorance is genuine). You can be morally blameless.

Question 14

What are Aquinas’ two types of ignorance?

Answer 14

• Vincible Ignorance
• Invincible Ignorance

Question 15

What is vincible ignorance?

Answer 15

Lack of knowledge for which someone can be held responsible. Your own fault, not something else.

Question 16

What is Invincible Ignorance?

Answer 16

Lack of knowledge for which you are not responsible. Links to Natural Law- Doctrine of double effect, morphine example.

Question 17

Is Aquinas’ view on conscience perfect?

Answer 17

Fallible, can be mistaken.

Question 18

What were the advantages of Aquinas’ views?

Answer 18

• Influential, supported by Catholic church.
• Catechism of the Catholic church, conscience ‘formulates its judgements according to reason’.
• Explains why conscience can be incorrect.
• Combined reason and logic so that atheists can be involved.

Question 19

What are the disadvantages to Aquinas’ view?

Answer 19

• Some acts cannot be morally blameless despite good intentions.
• Assumes good and evil are the same for everyone, very culture-bound, different for everyone.
• Disregards emotion, assumes we are all rational

Question 20

What other thinkers talk of conscience?

Answer 20

• Augustine
• Joseph Butler
• Jean Piaget
• Fromm

Question 21

What does Augustine say about conscience?

Answer 21

Believes in the traditional view of conscience.
‘See God as your witness’.

Question 22

What does Joseph Butler say about conscience?

Answer 22

Conscience separates us from animals.
Exerts spontaneously ‘without being consulted’