1 Welcome to the 2nd Term - Conscience (1)

8/18/2019 1 Welcome to the 2nd Term - Conscience (1)

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Exercising Christian

Conscience


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OWhen your intelligence don’t tell yousomething ain’t right, your conscience

gives you a tap on the shoulder andsays ‘Hold on’. If it don’t, you’re asnae.! Elvis Presley, American rock 'n' rollicon (1935-1977)

OConscience is "od’s presence in man.!Emmanuel Swedenor!, Swedis"-Americans#iri$ualis$ (1%&&-177)

O#eason often maes mistaes $utconscience never does.! os" illin!s

(*enry +"eeler S"aw), American wri$er and"umouris$ (1&1&-1&&5)


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It is $etter to dieexcommunicate

d than todiso$ey your

conscience.

% &t. 'homas ()uinas


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CO*&CIE*CEO When considering the nature and

function of conscience there are four

)uestions to eep in mind+. What is conscience-

. Where does conscience comefrom-

/. Is conscience innate or ac)uired-0. What is its function in ethicaldecision maing-


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ConscienceWhat is conscience?

( moral faculty or feeling promptingus to see that certain actions aremorally right or 1rong.

Conscience can prompt people in

di2erent directions.We consider it to $e a relia$le guide

$ut it lacs consistency and can leadpeople to perform terri$le actions.


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3i$lical teaching

It is assumed $y some $i$lical 1riters andearly Christian teachers that our conscienceis "od4given. 'his vie1 is put clearly in

5aul’s letter to the #omans+

‘When "entiles, 1ho do not possess thela1, do instinctively 1hat the la1 re)uires,these, though not having the la1, are a la1

to themselves. 'hey sho1 that 1hat thela1 re)uires is 1ritten on their hearts6’7#omans +048a9


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(ugustineOConscience is the

voice of "odspeaing to us


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()uinas

O(ll people aim for 1hat isgood and sin is falling shortof "od’s ideals, $utsometimes even follo1ing

conscience 1e 1ill get it1rong.


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()uinasConscience for ()uinas has essential

parts+

Synderesis % the use of right reason $y1hich 1e learn $asic moral principles andunderstand that 1e have to do good andavoid evil.

Conscientia % the actual :udgement ordecision 1e mae that leads us to act.


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()uinas % #easonseeing ;nderstanding

Accept general

principles

Apply these

principles

with the help of

conscience

to particular

situations


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3utler1rote that the most crucial thing 1hich

distinguished 1omen and men from theanimal 1orld 1as the possession of the

faculty of re


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3utler the conse)uence of an action is not 1hat

maes it right or 1rong as that has alreadyhappened

the purpose of conscience is to guide aperson into a 1ay of life that 1ill mae themhappy

conscience 1ill harmonise self4love and$enevolence % this may tae some sorting

out and so in moral dilemmas 1e may $euncertain 1hat to do

conscience controls human nature


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=oseph

3utler %conscience

comes from"od

conscience

principle of

reflection

self-love and

benevolence

basic drives


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*e1manOConscience is the voice of "od

O ‘If, as is the case, 1e feelresponsi$ility, are ashamed, arefrightened, at transgressing thevoice of conscience, this

implies there is One to 1hom1e are responsi$le, $efore1hom 1e are ashamed, 1hoseclaims upon us 1e fear.’


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>reudO Conscience is most clearly

connected 1ith the sense of guilt

that 1e feel 1hen 1e go against ourconscience. Conscience then issimply a construct of the mind.

O In religious people this 1ould $e inresponse to perceptions of "od.

O In non4religious people it 1ould $etheir responses to externallyimposed authority.


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>reudO 'he content of our consciences

are shaped $y our experiences

O 'he superego internalises thedisapproval of others and

creates the guilty conscience


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5iaget

O ( child’s moral sense develops andthe a$ility to reason morally dependson cognitive development.


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5iaget '1o stages of moral development+

O Heteronomous morality 7$et1eenthe ages of 8 and ? years9 1hen theconscience is still immature, rulesare not to $e $roen and punishmentis expected if a rule is $roen. 'heconse)uences of an action 1ill sho1if it is right or 1rong.


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5iaget

O Autonomous morality 7?@9 1hen

children develop their o1n rules andunderstand ho1 rules operate in andhelp society. 'he move to1ardsautonomous morality occurs 1henthe child is less dependant on othersfor moral authority.


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5ro$lems>or Christians conscience is often

regarded as the voice of "od. Ho1ever,this raises some serious )uestions+

If 1e al1ays ne1 that 1hat ourconscience told us to do 1as "od’scommand then 1e 1ould never maemistaes

Ho1ever, 1e do mae mistaesIf 1e can’t hear "od properly % 1hose

fault is it-

Documents

1 Welcome to the 2nd Term - Conscience (1)