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'''Conscience''' is a moral [[Ability|faculty]] that leads to feelings of [[remorse]] when we do things that go against our inbuilt moral precepts. Such feelings are not intellectually arrived at, though they may cause us to 'examine our conscience' and review those moral precepts, or perhaps resolve to avoid repeating the behaviour.

Commonly used metaphors refer to the "voice of conscience" or "voice within".

Modern day scientists in the fields of [[Ethology]], [[Neuroscience]] and [[Evolutionary psychology]] seek to explain conscience as a function of the human brain that evolved to facilitate [[reciprocal altruism]] within [[society|societies]]. As such it could be [[instinct|instinctive]] ([[genetics|genetically determined]]) or learnt.

The psychologist [[Sigmund Freud]] regarded conscience as originating in the [[superego]], which takes its cue from our parents during childhood. According to Freud, the consequence of not obeying our conscience is "[[guilt]]," which can be a factor in the development of [[neurosis]].

Conscience can prompt different people in quite different directions, depending on their beliefs, suggesting that while the capacity for conscience is probably [[genetics|genetically determined]], its subject matter is probably learnt, or [[imprinting (psychology)|imprinted]], like language, as part of a [[culture]]. One person can feel a moral [[duty]] to go to war, another can feel a moral duty to avoid war under any circumstances.

Many [[church]]es consider following one's conscience to be as important as, or even more important than, obeying human [[authority]]. This can sometimes lead to moral quandaries. "Do I obey my church/military/political leader, or do I follow my own sense of right and wrong?" Most churches and religious groups hold the moral teachings of their sacred texts as the highest authority in any situation. This dilemma is akin to [[Antigone]]'s defy of King Creon's order, appealing to the "[[natural law|unwritten law]]" and to a "longer allegiance to the dead than to the living"; it can also be compared to the trial of Nazi war criminal [[Adolf Eichmann]], in which he claimed that he had followed [[Kant]]ian philosophy by simply "doing his job" instead of entering a state of [[civil disobedience]] {{ref|Arendt}}.

In popular culture, we often consider our conscience to be two entities, an angel and a devil, each taking one shoulder. The angel often stands on the right, the good side, and the devil on the left, the bad side (left measured as bad luck in [[superstition]]). These Entities will then 'speak out' to you and try to influence you to make a good choice or bad choice depending on the situation.

== What is conscience? ==
The 1913 Webster's dictionary defines '''conscience''' in the modern sense as
* the faculty, power, or inward principle which decides as to the character of one's own actions, purposes, and affections, warning against and condemning that which is [[wrong]], and approving and prompting to that which is [[right]];
* the [[moral faculty]] passing [[judgment]] on one's [[self]];
* the [[moral sense]].

It quotes [[William Shakespeare]]'s Richard III from the play of the same name as saying:
:My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, And every tongue brings in a several tale, And every tale condemns me for a villain.

and [[William Whewell]]:
:As science means knowledge, conscience etymologically means self-knowledge . . . But the English word implies a moral standard of action in the mind as well as a consciousness of our own actions. . . . Conscience is the reason, employed about questions of right and wrong, and accompanied with the sentiments of approbation and condemnation.

Any consideration of conscience must consider the estimate or determination of conscience and the resulting conviction or right or duty.

[[Adam Smith]] said:
:Conscience supposes the existence of some such [i.e., moral] faculty, and properly signifies our consciousness of having acted agreeably or contrary to its directions.

Martha Stout, Ph.D., in her book "The Sociopath Next Door" defines conscience as the "intervening sense of responsibility [or obligation] based on emotional attachment [or connectedness]."

== Differing Views of Conscience ==
Views of [[conscience]] are not mutually exclusive, as can been seen by the quotes above, and by many other scholars. Although there is no generally accepted definition of what [[conscience]] is or what its role in [[Ethics|ethical]] decision-making is, there are two main factors that determine which stance is adopted.
# [[Secularism|Secular views]] '(including the [[Psychology|psychological]], [[Sociology|sociological]], [[Humanitarianism|humanitarian]] and [[authoritarianism|authoritarian]] views.)'
# [[religion|Religious views]] '(including the Divine Command Theory, the works of [[John Henry Newman|Newman]], [[Aquinas]], [[Joseph Butler|Butler]], [[Dietrich Bonhoffer|Bonhoeffer]] and so on)'.
# [[philosophy|philosophical views]] '(including [[Hegel]]'s [[Philosophy of Mind]])'
=== Aquinas ===
[[Aquinas|St. Thomas Aquinas]] claimed that it was “reason making right decisions” – so rather than it being "some-thing", it is a process. It must be noted that although [[Aquinas]] appears to take on an almost nonchalant view of [[conscience]], he still argued that the reason itself could only come from [[God]]. If you are doing good, then it must come from the only source of goodness – [[God]].

For Aquinas, our God-given ability to reason will lead to knowledge of ''synderesis''. Synderesis is an innate awareness of good and evil that cannot be mistaken – we all have this ability to distinguish from good and bad in the same quantity, and feel a moral obligation to act out the synderesis rule – to avoid evil and pursue goodness. Aquinas also described synderesis as an awareness of the five primary precepts as proposed in his theory of [[Natural Law]].

Aquinas referred to the conscience as the '''conscientia'' and defined as the acting out of the information given by synderesis, or the process of judgment which acts upon synderesis - the "application of knowledge to activity."

Aquinas also discussed the virtue of prudence to explain why some people appear to be less 'morally enlightened' than others. Prudence is the most important of all virtues, as it helps us balance our own needs with those of others and to reason out the knowledge of synderesis. Our conscience may be mistaken if we haven't acquired enough of the virtue of prudence, which can lead to a breakdown of communication between synderesis and conscientia.

To clarify things, take the analogy of a locked safe. The safe itself is the moral knowledge of synderesis, the key to the safe of moral knowledge is the virtue of prudence, and the hands of practical application that apply the key to unlock the safe is the conscientia.

Aquinas reasoned that acting contrary to your conscience is an evil action, since although it may be mistaken at times it is our only guide. The 'erring conscience' as Aquinas termed it, explains the differences that may arise in different people's concientia. You have an erring conscience if you are mistaken or confused about the moral course of action. The question could be raised however: is an erring conscience blameworthy? For Aquinas, an erring conscience is only blameworthy if it is the result of culpable or 'vincible' ignorance of factors that are within one's duty to have knowledge of. If however, an erring conscience is the result of an invincible ignorance of factors that are beyond your control, your actions are not culpable. One must also be aware of [[Aquinas|Aquinas’]] distinction between real and apparent goods. Although real goods may be from God, apparent goods (when we follow the wrong path believing it to be a real good) are not. An erring conscience may lead us down the path of an apparent good, which will not lead to human flourishing.

Aquinas reasoned that we should educate our consciences in order to act well and bring our selves in line with Hercules. Although it should be applied before an action, it may cause feelings of 'reatus' (guilt) or satisfaction after and action.

== World Conscience ==
World conscience is the idea that with global communication we as a people will no longer be estranged from one another, whether it be culturally, racially, or geographically. Instead, we will approach the world as a place in which we all live, and with newly gained understanding of each other we will begin to make decisions based on what is beneficial for all people.

Related to this idea is the idea of world consciousness. It too, looks at people in terms of the collective, but refers more to the universal ideas of the cosmos, instead of the interconnectedness of choice.

=== Joseph Butler ===
[[Joseph Butler]] argued that conscience is [[God]] given and should always be obeyed. Butler also said that it is intuitive, as we have the ability to perceive things beyond [[empirical evidence]], and it is therefore it is considered the ‘constitutional monarch’ and the ‘universal moral faculty’. It would appear that Butler is in striking accordance with Situation Ethics – [[Joseph Fletcher|Fletcher]] was also an [[Anglican]] [[Priest]], which may have played some part in this. Butler refers to the use of ‘self-love’ and ‘benevolence’ in conscience, which can be attributed to the [[Agape]] of [[Situational ethics]]. As Situational ethics is [[teleology|teleological]] and assesses each scenario on an individual basis, it would stand to reason that it supports the use of [[conscience]] in every decision. However, as Vardy claims, there is no such thing as a [[conscience]] in Situational ethics – only the attempts of making appropriate decisions in situations. One could argue that these ‘attempts’ are in fact the conscience itself, and it therefore does support its use in decision-making.

== Medieval conceptions of conscience ==
The medieval [[schoolmen]] made a distinction between conscience and a closely related concept called [[synderesis]]. However, there is evidence that this is an artificial distinction, and that the two terms originally meant the same thing.

== Conscience in Catholic theology ==
Conscience, in Catholic theology, is "a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed" ([[Catechism of the Catholic Church]], paragraph 1778). Catholics are called to examine their conscience before [[confession]].

Obedience to conscience has been claimed by many dissenters as a God-given right, from [[Martin Luther]], who said (or reputedly said), "Here I stand, I can do no other," to progressive Catholics who disagree with certain [[doctrine]]s or [[dogma]]s. The Church eventually agreed, saying, "Man has the right to act according to his conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters" (ibid., paragraph 1782). In certain situations involving individual personal decisions that are incompatible with church law, some pastors rely on the use of the [[internal forum]] solution.

However, the Catholic Church has warned that "rejection of the Church's authority and her teaching...can be at the source of errors in judgment in moral conduct" (ibid., paragraph 1792).

== Conscientious acts ==
A [[conscientious objector]] is an individual whose personal beliefs are incompatible with military service, or sometimes with any role in the armed forces. The reasons for refusing to serve are varied. Many conscientious objectors are so for religious reasons—notably, members of the [[peace churches|historic peace churches]] are pacifist by doctrine. Other objections can stem from a deep sense of responsibility toward humanity as a whole, or from simple denial that any government should have that kind of moral authority.

[[Amnesty International]] has created the term [[prisoner of conscience]] to mean a person imprisoned for their conscientious beliefs.

==Law==
In law, a '''conscience clause''' is a clause in a law that relieves an individual from complying with the law if it is incompatible with religious or conscientious beliefs.

== Endnotes ==
*{{note|Arendt}} See [[Hannah Arendt]], ''[[Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil]]'' (1963)

== See also ==
*[[consciousness]]
* [[moral values]]
* [[guilt]]
* [[ethics]]
* [[John Locke]], in particular ''[[An Essay Concerning Human Understanding]]'', chapter XXVII "Of Identity and Diversity" where he defines consciousness
* [[Light of Christ]]
* [[morality]]
* [[moral philosophy]]
* [[moral repugnance]]

==External links==
* [http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quotes/conscience Quotations about Conscience] at Liberty-tree.ca
* [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/conscience-medieval/ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Medieval Theories of Conscience]

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66.99.219.226: copied Conscience