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Instead of the voice of God; it is the tool of reasoning from knowledge and
experience.
The conscience is the application of reason to derive what should be done
in any given situation and this is based on natural law.
Seen as an intellectual and rational approachreason is required to
assess the purpose of things and what actions will promote such purpose.
The conscience Is the application of knowledge to activity Summa
Theologica
Using reason, humans can work out the purpose of all things
Acting morally is to act in accordance with these natural ends
Right action is the golden mean, the situation when something
works efficiently by avoiding extremes of excess and deficiency
(adopting a child rather than IVFOrdered society)
Synderisis vs Conscientia:
Synderisis: identified with right reason; an awareness of the moral
principle to do good and avoid evil. This is gaining knowledge and
sifting through evidence logically, not following a command.
Conscientia: the process of applying right reason to a specific issue.
Aquinas believed we had an inclination towards good and away from evil
because of Synderisis.
He believed we made moral mistakes because we made a mistake in our
reasoning: Conscientia.
Our consciences can be mistaken and follow apparent goods rather than
real goods (aborting an unplanned pregnancy when conception should
leave to birth).
We are fallible human beings, but knowledge of divine law helps us avoid
such mistakes.
Aquinas believed people sometimes do evil deeds because they make
mistakes, pursing apparent goods rather than real goods.
Problems this view poses on conscience:
1) What about societies that have different views on things; how can
the conscience vary?
2) How can people come to completely different views on an ethical
issue when using the conscience if the conscience always points to
the telos of goodness (ie abortion).
3) The conscience is linked to NL theory; does Aquinas theory work if
we disagree with natural law?
Theologian
Influenced by Aristotle & Aquinas
Saw conscience as the faculty of reflection which set us apart from
all other sentient beings and makes us aware of our own situation
and try to understand our being (something animals dont do)
.humans ask questions, animals dont.
Our reflective nature develops our conscience.
For Butler, the voice of God within is not selfless but selfish.
Butler takes the golden rule in everything you do to others as you
would have done to you Matthew 7:12, requires love & self respect.
Butler believed we are governed by self-love & benevolence (love of
others)
The conscience directs us towards love of others and stay away
from self-love.
Solution to craving
To live a disciplined lifewe have a innate desire for virtue and a moral
life. Created in the image of God, we exist to be happy and live the moral
life will bring us that.
Butler vs Aquinas
Like Aquinas, Butler believed the conscience could determine and judge
morality. Unlike Aquinas, he believed the conscience had a more intuitive
role- it was less reflective and more instinctive.
The conscience and God
For Butler, the conscience was pit into us by God as our natural guide,
therefore is something is commanded of you, you must not question it.
The conscience develops humans
CRITISISMS:
1) Is it dangerous to sat we should follow the voice inside our head?
2) Can we tell the difference between our conscience and our own
reason?
3) Is it possible for the conscience to be misinformed?
4) Can the conscience lead to bad moral choices such as genocide?
5) Could the conscience be used to justify any action especially for
personal gain?
6) Is it wrong to suggest that the conscience is lacking because of selfesteem?
7) Do people commit crime because of low self esteem or is it more
about confidence (too much self regard?)
JOHN HENRY NEWMAN (1801-1890)