conscience

Question 1

what does ratio mean according to Aquinas

Answer 1

reason placed in every person as we are created in the image of God

Question 2

what does synderesis mean

Answer 2

to follow good and avoid evil

Question 3

vincible ignorance

Answer 3

when the person has a lack of knowledge and IS responsible and CAN be blamed

Question 4

invincible ignorance

Answer 4

when the person has a lack of knowledge and is NOT responsible and CANNOT be blamed

Question 5

What does Hannah Arendt say?

Answer 5

wrote about the Holocaust and argues that when the norms of society become immoral you must reject them

Question 6

in every person what does Aquinas believe there is?

Answer 6

A synderesis

Question 7

what does a Synderesis do?

Answer 7

Directs us towards good and away from evil.

Question 8

Aquinas thought that there is a sensuality within each of us which tempts us towards evil and this was operating in the Garden of Eden when Eve and Adam were tempted to eat the forbidden fruit.

Answer 8

Synderesis is a habit or a learning not a power.

Question 9

How does Conscience arise within a person according to Aquinas?

Answer 9

When the knowledge gained from the application of ratio to synderesis is applied to something we do.

Question 10

What is conscience?

Answer 10

reason making the right decisions

Question 11

what are the two types of ignorance’s?

Answer 11

vincible and invincible

Question 12

Aquinas argues that if a man lies with another woman then this is clearly an evil act because it is based on the ignorance of the divine law which is the commandment which prohibits adultery.

Answer 12

However, if this misjudgement comes from thinking this woman is really his own wife then his will is free from fault

Question 13

what does the catechism of the catholic church say?

Answer 13

Conscience must informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. In accordance with the true good willed by the wisdom of the creator.

Question 14

If you practice good habits and try to lean towards the good ( synderesis) your reason (ratio) will help you act well.

Answer 14

If you try to gather knowledge to inform your decisions then your actions cannot be blame worthy.

Question 15

one critique of Aquinas?

Answer 15

Failed to take into account the social, political, environmental and economic pressures that affect a persons moral decision making. Shame and guilt regrets about past actions and a misplaced sense of duty are just some of the factors that affect our conscience and heavily influence our moral decision making.

Question 16

Freud argued that the human mind is made up of what?

Answer 16

1)Unconscious mind( repressed thoughts and feelings, including primitive desires)

2)the preconscious mind( contains thoughts the person is not aware of but is like a waiting room where the thoughts remain until they succeed in the eye of the conscious.

3) conscious mind- the thoughts that a person currently has

Question 17

3 personality traits are?

Answer 17

ID- unconscious instinctive and primitive. Strives for gratification
EGO- driven by the reality principle. mediates between the two
SUPER-EGO- moral used ideals from parents and societies to make ego behave morally

Question 18

whos theory is theological?

Answer 18

Aquinas

Question 19

Whos theory is psychological?

Answer 19

Freud

Question 20

Guilt- Aquinas explanation

Answer 20

1 )Guilt is a worrying sense that an action is not good as it is not in accordance with the divine law.

2) Synderesis indicates that things are not right and guilt is the result.
3) Guilt helps God to restore a proper relationship with a person. the consequences of sin are damaging because they disrupt a person’s relationship with God. For reconciliation to occur guilt must be extinguished and good relations must be re-established.
It is Gods grace that expels guilt from a person

Question 21

guilt- Freud explanation

Answer 21

1) Guilt is a result of internal conflict in the mind, the struggle between what you desire and what you feel you should or should not do.
2) The tension between the demands of conscience and the actual demands of the ego becomes guilt.
3) Inner turmoil of guilt can cause a person to do bad things, it is not a consequence of wrongdoing but a cause of future wrongdoing.

Question 22

Both shame and guilt seem to be present in the story of the Garden of Eden in Genesis, what’s the quote?

Answer 22

God saying “ where are you?” and Adam saying “ I heard you in the garden and was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”

Question 23

What’s one similarity between Freud and Aquinas?

Answer 23

Freud’s description of a healthy personality with the id ego and duper-ego in balance and Aquinas belief in the effective operation of reason and the cultivation of good habits leads to.

Question 24

Freud- Moral decision making?

Answer 24

Moral choices are choices that strike a balance between a persons desires and socially acceptable behavior.

Question 25

Aquinas- moral decision making

Answer 25

Involves application of ratio, synderesis and conscientious to bring abut decisions that are good and not evil

Question 26

what does pope benedict say?

Answer 26

During Jesus’ trial “ they are shouting because everyone else is shouting” showing the dangers of following a crowd.

Question 27

4 strengths of Aquinas?

Answer 27

1) Supported by the catholic church, from the Catechism of the catholic church “ conscience formulates its judgments according to reason.”
2) explains why conscience can sometimes be incorrect- due to wrong use of reason ( apparent goods)
3) clear set authority- supported by the bible
4) Everyone can experience reason.

Question 28

4 weaknesses of Aquinas?

Answer 28

1)regardless of intention some acts break the law so an individual can never be morally blameless
2) it is a religious theory what happens if you don’t believe in God.
3) assumes no emotions are expressed
4) Are humans really that rational?

Question 29

who are the 3 individuals who have a religious view on conscience?

Answer 29

Augustine, Butler and Newman

Question 30

who are the two non-religious scholars?

Answer 30

Piaget and Fromm

Question 31

what does Augustine state?

Answer 31

That people are able to sense right and wrong because God reveals to us personally and the voice of God is speaking to us

Question 32

what is a criticism of Augustine?

Answer 32

can you ignore the voice of God, is it the same voice of God if so why do we do things differently.

Question 33

what does Joseph Butler say?

Answer 33

Conscience is an essential part of being human and separates us from animals.
It is a God given guide to right conduct.
Conscience is what we use to judge an action good or bad.

Question 34

what does Newman say?

Answer 34

Not through reason but we know what is right or wrong through guilt.
Conscience is the messenger from God but (what about if you cant hear the voice of God.)

Question 35

what does Fromm say?

Answer 35

Influenced by external authority: parents, teachers and leaders. Rules internalized by a person.