The Value of Conscience (AQA A-Level Religious Studies): Flashcards
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Practise the cards
10 cards from this deck
Main problem: conscience as 'voice of God'
Main problem: conscience as 'voice of God'
No reliable way to verify if voice is God or own thoughts
Key limit: conscience as internalised social values
Key limit: conscience as internalised social values
Cannot challenge or criticise existing social values
Kohlberg's view of conscience
Kohlberg's view of conscience
Inner demand for consistent & universalisable moral decisions
Aquinas's understanding of conscience
Aquinas's understanding of conscience
Practical application of reason to moral situations
How can conscience be mistaken? (Aquinas)
How can conscience be mistaken? (Aquinas)
Ignorance of moral law, lack of facts, passion, social influence
Benefit of guilt feelings in conscience
Benefit of guilt feelings in conscience
Warns when actions wrong & motivates avoiding repeating them
Problem: guilt feelings as moral guide
Problem: guilt feelings as moral guide
May not align with objective moral standards
Determinist objection to conscience
Determinist objection to conscience
If behaviour determined, we lack free will to be guided
Subjectivity problem of conscience
Subjectivity problem of conscience
Only you know what your conscience tells you; private & subjective
Why external standard needed for conscience?
Why external standard needed for conscience?
Prevents those trusting conscience absolutely from catastrophic errors