GEC09- Ethics. Learning Modules.
Midterm
TOPIC: CONSCIENCE
1. Description of Conscience
Conscience is metaphorically known as the “inner or little voice of God” carrying out man’s
moral obligations and telling him what to do and what to avoid in the moral order. Conscience
has been compared to a government exercising within the limits of man’s inner self the three
powers - legislative, judicial, and executive. Indeed, the role of conscience is to investigate, to
judge, and to pass sentence on our moral actions. Conscience approves and commends;
reproaches and condemns; forbids and commands; accuses and absolves.
2. Definition of Conscience
Conscience consists in a practical judgment of the mind when applying the moral law to
individual human actions. How should the principles of morality and the positive laws be applied
to the individual acts considering the actual circumstances of the acts? Conscience prompts the
answer.
Conscience is defined as an act of the practical judgment of reason deciding upon an
individual action as good and to be performed or as evil and to be avoided.
Conscience differs from:
a. Moral science, which is a systematized and formulated knowledge of the conclusions drawn
from the moral principles and positive laws, while conscience is the act of the practical judgment
deciding the moral quality of our actions and thoughts.
b. Law, which consists in the objective rules of conduct formulated by an authority and enforced
by sanctions. Conscience is a subjective guide, an internal law.
c. Consciousness, which is a psychological awareness by which we perceive our states and acts
and are mentally awakened to the things around us. Conscience is concerned with the moral
judgment of our individual actions, the goodness and blameworthiness of man’s conduct.
d..Prudence, which is a virtue timing the use of conscience, and regulating the application of the
universal principle of morality to particular actions.
e. Council, which is concerned with the right means and ways to carry on our moral decisions.
f. Synderesis, which is the understanding of the principles and axioms of morality. These
principles are con-natural to man’s rational nature; they only need to be developed through
education and experience. Some of these moral axioms are: “Do good and avoid evil”, “Live
modesty”, “Honor your parents,” Murder is a crime”, “Respect the rights of others.”
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3. Different Kinds of Conscience
a. Antecedent or consequent, according as the judgment is passed before an action is performed
or only after the action is done. The main functions of the antecedent conscience are to
command, to forbid, to advise and to permit. The two opposite effects of the consequent
conscience are internal peace or remorse.
b. Right or true conscience, judges what is really good as good and what is really evil as evil
according to the true principles of morality.
An erroneous or false conscience judges what is really bad as good and vice versa according to
a false interpretation of the moral principles; an erroneous conscience is culpable or inculpable,
vincible or invincible.
c. Certain conscience, is a subjective assurance of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of certain
actions to be done or to be omitted. This kind of conscience should be always followed by man,
although it may happen that his subjective convictions are not in conformity with the reality of
things commanded or forbidden on account of an involuntary error. For instance, under the
present regulations of the Church, all Catholics must fast during Good Friday. If a Catholic, for
some reason or another, mistakes Maundy Thursday for Good Friday and yet does not fast on
that day, his conscience will be guilty.
d. Doubtful conscience suspends judgment on the lawfulness of an action and therefore, if
possible, the action should be omitted. If the action has to be necessarily performed, one ought to
examine more carefully the circumstances of the action or consult an expert moralist. Doubtful
conscience may occur in business transactions, surgical operations, and other professional
practices.
e. Scrupulous conscience, is that which is extremely rigorous, constantly afraid of committing
evil. A scrupulous conscience is frequently the result of a stubborn character. But in some people
a scrupulous conscience merely means a serious concern about moral perfection.
f. Lax conscience tends to follow the easy way and to find excuses for omission and mistakes.
This kind of conscience is dangerous.
TASK/ASSESSMENT.
1. What does it mean to you by the metaphorically explanation of conscience “inner or little
voice of God”? Why? explain your reason.
2. Why is it that conscience is an act of practical judgment of reason? Give your own views
about it.. How does your experience/s relate with this concept of conscience. Cite your own
experience/s.
3. Discuss in your own words of understanding the difference of conscience from the following;
moral science, law, consciousness, prudence, council, and synderesis.
4. In your own personal assessment of yourself today, what kind of conscience do you have,
according to different kinds of conscience mentioned? Why?
5. What would be the best to cultivate or nurture by person in the kinds of conscience
mentioned? Why?
