The conscience Flashcards

Question

What does Freud's view of the conscience ignore about humanity?

Answer 1

It ignores later life experiences and the possibility to bettering yourself.

Answer 2

'An outline of psychoanalysis' 'The Ego and the Id'

Answer 3

We are not discerning the moral thing we do, we are feeling guilty due to the superego.

Answer 4

Psychoanalysis is still used today . His views were fundamental in the development of the conscious and unconscious mind. It is evidenced that are parents and our environment do affect our moral standards. He recognises the importance of childhood. He is able to explain why all of our morals are different. There is no need for a God or a supernatural being in his theory.

Answer 5

His case studies were unethical and unscientific - Little Hans. He is unable to explain what happens if the parent are immoral or the child is from a single parent. He implies that the parents could be held responsible if the children are immoral - this causes issues for responsibility. He ignores the effect of later life experiences and the possibility for growth. The role is free will is unclear in freud's theory - do we have control over what we do?

Answer 6

He believes that guilt is the conflict between the ego and the Id. This is not the consequence of a wrongdoing but the cause of a future wrongdoing - guilt leads people to do bad things. Guilt causes us to behave in a certain way. The super-ego punishes misbehaviours with guilt.

Answer 7

A guilt complex is a set of unconscious emotional responses (mainly guilt and anxiety) that develop from conflicts between our instincts and internalised rules.

Answer 8

Guilt results from synderesis and conscientia warning our will about the natural law. If we have done something wrong, our conscience will accuse us – causing feelings of guilt.

Answer 9

The Primal Horde theory.

Answer 10

There was a chief who had sex with many women to which he kept to himself. The other men got angry and killed the chief. The men were then able to have sex with all the women. Yet, they all fought over them. The men realised why the chief had rules regarding sex.

Answer 11

The origins of social order. Freud believed that the psychological trauma and guilt of the sons in the Primal Horde were somehow passed down through generations. He suggested this collective memory formed the basis of the universal Oedipus Complex and moral conscience (Superego). Collective guilt from the murder shapes the unconscious mind, driving human behaviour.

Answer 12

Conscience is the voice of God - God reveals what is right and wrong to us personally. 'See God as your witness'

Answer 13

It is an essential guide to being human. It is what we use to judge our actions. It is a God-given guide to right conduct that should always be followed.

Answer 14

We have an illative sense of moral judgement - we just know what is right and wrong. It is the 'voice of the law giver', meaning it is a message from god and not through reason. It is authoritative, hence we feel guilt and shame when we ignore it.

Answer 15

He proposed an understanding of universal stages through childhood. Heteronomous morality (5-9) - child looks beyond self for moral authority where rules are to be obeyed and immorality punished. Autonomous morality (10+) - personal code of conduct develops based on social perceptions. He defended Freud’s central thesis, that the conscience is just the result of the way we raise children.

Answer 16

We are influenced by external authority (parents/ teachers/etc) - these rules are internalised by the person. Disobedience causes guilt and weakens our power, making us submissive to authority (eg. Nazi Germany).

Answer 17

An authoritarian conscience is developed by systems of reward and punishment. A humanistic conscience is based on a person's own values. Fromm argued that individuals had the capability to reject the authoritarian conscience.

Answer 18

He claims we are the sum of our genes. There is a generic explanation to morality. those who cooperate with their fellow beings are more likely to survive and pass on their 'more moral' genes. Over time, nature has selected those who have good, moral attitudes.

Answer 19

Telos is unscientific - there is no scientific evidence for purpose in nature. This was realised and critiqued by Francis Bacon.

Answer 20

Purpose is not built into the ‘architecture’ of the universe.

Answer 21

Science offers simpler, more powerful explanations (Ockham’s Razor).

Answer 22

Tension between Id (desires) and Superego (rules), mediated by Ego. E.g. there’s a desire for food which bubbles up from the Id into the Ego, so you become aware of wanting food. However, your Super-ego tells you that it’s class-time right now, so you can’t eat. You then have to choose whether to obey your super-ego and feel frustrated or give in to your Id and feel guilty about breaking society’s rules.

Answer 23

Theory is unfalsifiable; not proper science. Freud’s theories do not make predictions which could be proven wrong.

Answer 24

Different cultures have different moral views - cultures disagree on key moral issues eg, euthanasia. Fletcher claims cross-cultural moral variation undermines Aquinas’ claim of universal moral knowledge via reason.

Answer 25

Dawkins argued our moral sense partly came from evolution – which programmed us with empathy to care about other people, reproduce, educate, etc.

Answer 26

Societies that allow immoral behaviours collapse.

Answer 27

Freud’s use of the Primal Horde myth and the inheritance of guilt depends on Lamarckian ideas — that learned or emotional traits can be inherited. Since Lamarckism has been discredited by modern science, this weakens Freud’s argument

Answer 28

Fletcher argues conscience is not a set thing in our mind with pre-set rules or precepts (noun). He proposes it is the process of figuring out what action will have the most loving effect/consequence (verb).

The conscience Flashcards

(52 cards)