Conscience Flashcards
What is the Roman Catholic view of Conscience?
- 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.
What did Church father’s call conscience?
Synderesis, sparks us to do good and avoid evil.
What do the catechisms say about conscience?
‘The prudent man can hear God speaking’.
What is the definition of ratio?
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.
What is the definition of Synderesis?
For Aquinas, to follow good and avoid the evil.
Why is Freud’s view of conscience similar to Plato’s view on the soul?
- Similar to Plato’s tripartite view on the soul.
- Charioteer, ID, Ego, Superego.
What is conscientia?
Name Aquinas gives to process whereby a persons reason makes moral judgements.
What is Aquinas’ key quote about conscience?
Conscience is the ‘mind of man making moral judgements’.
Why does Aquinas’ thinking reach beyond social justice?
Ratio helps us connect to divine and eternal realm, morality is not just following laws of what is culturally, socially and politically ‘normal’.
How does the Pope agree with Aquinas’ view that conscience is linked to divine truth?
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.
What is Aquinas’ view on Synderesis?
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.
What does Aquinas say about Conscientia?
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’.
What is Aquinas’ view on ignorance?
- 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.
What are Aquinas’ two types of ignorance?
- Vincible Ignorance
- Invincible Ignorance
What is vincible ignorance?
Lack of knowledge for which someone can be held responsible. Your own fault, not something else.
