Conscience (2)
The consciousness people have that an motion is morally required or forbidden. In the Christian tradition the nature of this consciousness and its standing as information is a central problem. On the one hand it’s sinful to behave towards one’s conscience; however conscience can deceive, since we could be mistaken about what’s required or forbidden. Conscience is a capability or a school that distinguishes whether or not one’s actions are right or unsuitable. It results in feelings of remorse when one does things that go in opposition to his/her moral values, and to feelings of rectitude or integrity when one’s actions conform to our ethical values. It is also the angle which informs one’s moral judgment earlier than performing any action. The extent to which such moral judgments are based in motive has been a matter of controversy almost all through the history of Western philosophy.
Social scientists are discovering …