conscience (8) Flashcards
ratio
Aquinas argues that all people are created with ‘ratio’, reason placed within us in the image of God. Humans are unique in their ability to unpack morals, we have a God given ability to consider info and reach judgement. theological approach.
synderesis/conscienta
synderesis= natural desire to do good and avoid evil. we know this is a moral rule and we have the desire to fufil it.
conscienta= Aquinas idea. process of forming moral judgements, applying knowledge to unique circumstances.
vincible/invincible ignorance
Aquinas says once we have reasoned we are bound to follow decision.
vincible= lack of knowledge for which a person is responsible. you are responsible for actions.
invincible= lack of knowledge for which a person is not responsible- if a man sleeps with another woman he believes is his wife okay.
Aquinas provides a helpful view of the conscience
- puts reason and rationality centre.
- provides a good explanation for moral disagreement. stress on individual reasoning
- explains why people may change their morals over time
Aquinas doesnt provides a helpful view of the conscience
- Aquinas view isnt how we experience conscience.
- synderesis isnt innate, we change over time
- fails to take into account social factors
- Aquinas comes to the conclusionw e should obey conscience even if incorrect.
- overly optimistic about human nature
Piaget and Kohlberg
moral thinking changes over time
Freud’s three aspects of personality
ego- conscious self seen by outside world
id- unconscious self containing basic desires
supergo- within the ego and a reaction to id. it is a set of moral controls given by authority and opposed by id.
psychosexual development
Freud thought all pyschological problems caused by sexuality. Freud saw how development foes through stages. 0-1 month: mouth. 1-3 years: anus. 3-6 years: genitals.
forming the conscience
Freud thought conscience was the superego. formed by society. It is a reaction to demands unable to be lived up to. we internalise the voice of our parents. cause gap to grow between what we are (ego) and demands of supergo. guilt is when we go against.
Oedipus complex
a male child pre-sexual development, child develops fixation for mother and views father as obstacle to fufilment of these desires. this causes guilt and shame.
Freud’s view is helpful
- begins with experience of guilt. how conscience first reveals itself to us
- based on psychology and empirical research
- able to explain different voices in moral thinking. If conscience was God then no sense for different moral views to exist.
Freud’s view is helpful
- Freud research is limited and his analysis was based on a small number of patients
- Karl Popper accused Freud of pseudo-science. says scientific claims have the ability to be proven wrong.
- Fromm says he is only partly correct. many people have a conscience driven by fear of punishment.
Aquinas and Freud
Aquinas- conscience is the product of reason. God gave us the ability to reason and the synderesis rule within,
Freud- conscience is not rational. part of the unconsious mind and internalised voice.
Erich Fromm
believes humans have 2 consciences: authoritarian- dominates basically Freud view on authority. internalise fear so inner voice is that. we obey authority.
humanistic- differs greatly from Freud. our own inner voice reacting to how well we function. more developed
pros/cons authoratarian conscience
pro= gives us a sense of wellbeing and security
bad= makes us obedient and moral value overrides feelings.
conscience stems from reason
- explains how moral views change over time and why they differ
- appealing to reason- opening debate about what it is to be human.
- both piaget and Fromm theories both require an ability to reflect on their actions
conscience stems from unconscious mind
- Freud and Fromm seemingly somewhat correct in their assumption that it is unconsious
- if conscience is linked to unconscious part of upbringing it explains different morals
- Freud seems correct in recognising that conscience feelings are immediate and not after reflection
conscience does not stem from reason
+ not from unconsious mind
- if moral judgements were reaspn then we would see more agreement
- Popper notes that unconscious isnt based on evidence despite Freud’s case studies.
conscience is god given
Bible has numerous references to conscience and suggests given by God. NT, Paul warns people can damage their conscience by not listening to them.
Romans 2:15
paul says “requirements of the law are written on their hearts”
John Henry Newman
says conscience a voice of God. says conscience is as much pyschology as it is memory, reason etc and odd to deny those. Newman argues it is a pre condition: without it there is no morality. conscience isnt advice, it needs to be listened to. conscience also imply judge who can instill fear.
genetic prediposition
Dawkins argues humans are a sum total of their genes, ‘bytes and bytes of DNA’. just like abilites, morals may be genetic. humans who cooperate with others more likely to pass of their genes,
coscience as culture
Piaget thinks that education and environment. suggests morals develop in 2 stages: younger children under 10 absorb authority figures, older children and adults understand rules that humans change.
conscience is a real thing
- aquinas identifies conscience as part of human nature
- Newman argues conscience is undeniable and wrong to dismiss
