Conscience
Cognitive process eliciting emotion based on moral philosophy or value system.
Conscience is a cognitive process that elicits emotion and rational associations based on an individual's moral philosophy or value system. It is not an elicited emotion or thought produced by immediate sensory perceptions and reflexive responses. In common terms, conscience is often described as leading to feelings of remorse when a person commits an act that conflicts with their moral values. The extent to which conscience informs moral judgment before an action and whether such moral judgments are or should be based on reason has occasioned debate through much of modern history between theories of basics in ethic of human life and theories of romanticism and other reactionary movements after the end of the Middle Ages.
- field
- Ethics, psychology, religion, law
- known_for
- Cognitive process linking moral philosophy to emotion and rational associations; subject of religious, secular, and legal interpretation
- religious_views
- Linked to inherent morality, beneficent universe, or divinity in various traditions
- secular_views
- Probably genetically determined, with subject learned or imprinted as part of a culture
- common_metaphors
- Voice within, inner light, Socratic daimōnic sign
Lore & Background
In the literary traditions of the Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita, conscience is the label given to attributes composing knowledge about good and evil that a soul acquires from the completion of acts and consequent accretion of karma over many lifetimes. According to Adi Shankara, morally right action helps 'purify the heart' and provide mental tranquility but does not give 'direct perception of the Reality'. In the Zoroastrian faith, after death a soul must face judgment at the Bridge of the Separator, where evil people are tormented by prior denial of their own conscience. The Chinese concept of Ren indicates that conscience, along with social etiquette and correct relationships, assists humans to follow The Way (Tao).
Reader's Guide
Conscience features prominently in Buddhism, where Buddha links its positive aspect to a pure heart and a calm, well-directed mind, regarding it as a spiritual power and one of the 'Guardians of the World'. In Islam, the concept of Taqwa is closely related to conscience; the Qur’ān states that God perfected the soul and taught it wrong and right, making awareness of vice and virtue inherent. In the Protestant Christian tradition, Martin Luther insisted his conscience was captive to the Word of God, and John Calvin saw conscience as a battleground. The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote that conscience was the human capacity to live by rational principles congruent with the true, tranquil nature of our mind and that of the Universe. Conscience is a concept in national and international law, increasingly conceived of as applying to the world as a whole, and has motivated numerous notable acts for the public good.
Did You Know?
- Common metaphors for conscience include the 'voice within', the 'inner light', and Socrates' 'daimōnic sign'.
- In the Zoroastrian faith, evil people after death are tormented by prior denial of their own conscience.
- The word 'conscience' is not in the original New Testament Greek except in the letters to the Corinthians and Romans.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Conscience in philosophical terms?
Conscience is a cognitive process that links a person's underlying moral framework to both emotional responses and rational associations. It goes beyond simple sensory reactions or reflexive impulses, drawing instead on a deeper value system.
What does Conscience actually do in everyday life?
In common experience, Conscience most often surfaces as a feeling of guilt or remorse after someone acts against their own moral standards. It can also shape moral judgment before an action is taken, though how strongly it does so remains a point of contention.
How do religious and secular traditions explain Conscience differently?
Religious traditions frequently ground Conscience in inherent morality, a benevolent cosmic order, or a direct tie to the divine. Secular accounts tend to treat it as genetically rooted, with its particular content acquired or imprinted through cultural learning.
What metaphors do people use to describe Conscience?
It is commonly pictured as a 'voice within,' an 'inner light,' or the Socratic daimōnic sign that warns against certain courses of action. These images capture the sense of an internal guide that speaks without any external trigger.
Why is Conscience a contested topic in modern philosophy?
A central and long-running debate asks whether Conscience ought to rest on reason or on something beyond rational argument, such as faith or instinct. This tension has generated sustained discussion across ethics, psychology, religion, and law well into the modern era.
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