TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Introduction…………………………………….1
1.1 Background
Of The study……………………...3
1.2 Statement
Of The Problem…………………….5
1.3 Purpose Of
The Study………………………….....6
1.4 Scope Of The
Study……………………………….6
1.5 Method Of
Research……………………………7
1.6 Division Of
Work……………………………….7
CHAPTER TWO
THE IDEA OF CONSCIENCE BEFORE AQUINAS
2.1 Ancient
Era………………………………………..……8
2.1.1
Pre-Christian Times…………………………………...9
2.1.2
Pauline ingenuity………………………………..11
2.2
Medieval Era………………………………………..11
2.2.1
Synderesis: a Jeromean innovation…………….13
2.2.2
Conscience and Synderesis………………………..18
2.3 Kinds
of Conscience…………………………..23
2.3.1
True or Correct Conscience………………….…24
2.3.2
Erroneous conscience……………………………..24
2.3.2.1 Perplexed Conscience………………………...…25
2.3.2.2 Lax Conscience……………………………...…..26
2.3.2.3 Scrupulous Conscience………………………..26
2.3.2.4
Certain Conscience…………………..………….27
2.3.2.5
Doubtful Conscience…………………..……..27
CHAPTER THREE
AQUINAS ON CONSCIENCE
3.1
Aquinas’ Idea of Man………………………….29
3.2
Clarification of Concepts……………………………33
3.3 The
Obligation of Conscience………………………37
3.4 The
Problem of Erroneous Conscience………….39
3.5 The
Relevance of Aquinas Doctrine to Man…43
CHAPTER FOUR
EVALUATION
AND CONCLUSION
4.1
Philosophical Evaluation…………………..…..47
4.2
Conclusion………………………………………58
BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………..61
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
The modern world is characterized by violence, riots, wars,
terrorism, and abortion, which constitute threats to the peaceful co-existence
of men. Analysts have strived to bring
out solution to the problem in their various capacities. Both the advocates of
peace and terror, theists and atheists explicitly or implicitly speak and write
about conscience and its place in the pursuit of particular causes. Hence the
notion of conscience is a point of interest to all.
The term conscience appears in the constitutions of many
nations today as well as in the official documents of the church. Civil rights activists have often used the
terms “white conscience”, “public conscience” Christian conscience” and so on, as weapons of remedy against
various ills and excesses of ideologies.
Scholastic philosophers are themselves neither unanimous nor constant in
their use of the word conscience.
This overview is nevertheless sufficient to show that
conscience embodies various meanings and covers situations ranging from view of
life to personal conviction, social values and objective standard of conduct
for different peoples. The nature of
conscience has, as a result, been variously interpreted as an interior voice, a
faculty, an act of judgement, a habit, etc.
The lack or absence of unanimity in the usage and interpretations of
conscience by both secular and ecclesiastical writers often blur and make
ambiguous its true meaning. Thus, the
ordinary man is all the more perplexed with regard to its function as a norm of
morality. In this light, it is an onerous task to arrive at an understanding of
the nature of conscience and its obligation.
Authority
irks modern man. For him, freedom is the absence of restraint. In many democratic countries, for instance,
freedom becomes equated with irresponsibility.
Often the basis of dissent is sought in conscience, which serves as an
arsenal of defense against the demands of authority. In moral matters, the emphasis is on personal
autonomy that refuses to look beyond self, for moral values and guidance. However, appeals to conscience in cases like
these often result in an inability to resolve moral problems. The consequence is chaotic existence, which
has become the mark of our times.
This
long essay is an attempt to clarify some of the uncertainty that surrounds the
word conscience using the philosophical framework of St. Thomas Aquinas.
1.1
Background
Of The Study
Conscience
is man’s nearest guide with regard to his moral decisions on actions. Man makes a rational judgement over the
actions performed or about to be performed in order to know how good or bad
they are. He does this because of the
natural inclination to attain happiness and satisfaction. Hence, conscience is of interest to all. Teachers make lesson on it, leaders consider
it, parents address their children on it, Christians respect it; lawyers act on
it; while philosophers examine it critically.
Aquinas’
attention was drawn to the issue of “conscience” as a result of the hot debate
on the relationship of conscience and synderesis as well as its nature in the
Middle Ages. He looked into the matter
to see if there were any distinguishing features of conscience, its operation
in the intellect with regard to the actions of man. He came out with the conclusion that
conscience incites or binds. There is no
doubt that his stand on the issue alleviated the problem to a certain extent. However, it is still subject to critical
examination, because his view appears to be very subjective.
Thomas
Aquinas {c. 1225-74} was born into an aristocratic family at Roccasecca in the
south of Italy. He studied philosophy and theology at Cologne with and under
Albert the Great. Aquinas’ best-known
work is his Summa Theologia and
others like Scriptum Super Sententiarum, Quaestiones Disputatae De Veritate,
Summa Contra Gentiles, which he wrote
around 1254 to 1273. He died on March 7, 1274 in the
Cistercian abbey at Fossanova.
1.2 Statement Of The Problem
A historical survey of philosophers
and thinkers who delved into the problem of conscience shows that conscience
and synderesis are inevitable in making moral decisions on actions. However, man cannot appreciate and
appropriate this function of the human intellect without an epistemological
cleansing in order to see the relationship between synderesis and
conscience. Aquinas’ doctrine
established that conscience has a binding force whether true or erroneous.
This means that one who yields to erroneous conscience is not free from a bad
act. Does it imply that one with
erroneous conscience must act wrongly?
What measure could be employed to correct the error and how? The problem of a doubtful conscience entails
a feeling of uncertainty about something as to the lawfulness or obligation of
an action. Aquinas’ reply seems naïve:
of course, “a man needs only to put aside his error for he is really not in a
quandary”.
1.3
Purpose Of The Study
The main objective of this work is to
expose and make a philosophical reflection on Aquinas’ doctrine on conscience,
his understanding of conscience and synderesis. An attempt will be made to see
the relationship between Aquinas idea of conscience and man as a moral being in
quest of ultimate end. I shall attempt also to contribute to resolving the
problem of error and doubtful conscience, in addition to what Aquinas has said
about the problem.
1.4 Scope Of The Study
I am concerned in this research
work with Aquinas’ teaching on antecedent
conscience not consequent conscience,
since only the former is a norm of morality.
I am bent on finding out exactly the ‘quid’
of his antecedent moral conscience with its attendant obligation.
1.5
Method Of Research
1.6
Division Of
Work
The work is
divided into four chapters. The first
chapter is the preliminary consideration of the research. The second chapter
takes a look at the idea of conscience before Aquinas. The third chapter exposes Aquinas doctrine on
conscience. In the fourth chapter I shall reflect on the relevance of his
doctrine to man as a being with ultimate end.
After that we shall conclude the essay.
Click “DOWNLOAD NOW” below to get the complete Projects
FOR QUICK HELP CHAT WITH US NOW!
+(234) 0814 780 1594
Buyers has the right to create
dispute within seven (7) days of purchase for 100% refund request when
you experience issue with the file received.
Dispute can only be created when
you receive a corrupt file, a wrong file or irregularities in the table of
contents and content of the file you received.
ProjectShelve.com shall either
provide the appropriate file within 48hrs or
send refund excluding your bank transaction charges. Term and
Conditions are applied.
Buyers are expected to confirm
that the material you are paying for is available on our website
ProjectShelve.com and you have selected the right material, you have also gone
through the preliminary pages and it interests you before payment. DO NOT MAKE
BANK PAYMENT IF YOUR TOPIC IS NOT ON THE WEBSITE.
In case of payment for a
material not available on ProjectShelve.com, the management of
ProjectShelve.com has the right to keep your money until you send a topic that
is available on our website within 48 hours.
You cannot change topic after
receiving material of the topic you ordered and paid for.
Login To Comment