What is conscience in your understanding? Conscience and its manifestation

One of the qualities of the human personality (properties of the human intellect), ensuring the preservation of homeostasis (the state of the environment and one’s position in it) and determined by the ability of the intellect to model its future state and the behavior of other people in relation to the “bearer” of conscience. is one of the products of education. According to conscience - a category of ethics that characterizes an individual’s ability to exercise moral self-control, independently formulate moral duties for himself, demand that he fulfill them, and make a self-assessment of his actions; one of the expressions of a person’s moral self-awareness (in many European languages, the word “conscience” etymologically means “shared knowledge”; in Russian it comes from the word “vedat” - “to know”). Associative block. Due to the fact that conscience is a property of a person, its “filling and quality” significantly depend on the culture that a person has (both ethnic and individual).

Definitions, meanings of words in other dictionaries:

Social Psychology. Dictionary under. ed. M.Yu. Kondratieva

Conscience is the ability of an individual to exercise moral self-control, independently formulate moral duties for oneself, demand that one fulfill them and evaluate the actions performed; one of the expressions of a person’s moral self-awareness. WITH....

Large dictionary of esoteric terms - edited by Doctor of Medical Sciences Stepanov A.M.

(Russian, joint message, generalized knowledge). 1. The feeling and consciousness of moral responsibility for one’s behavior and actions to oneself, to the people around him, to society; moral principles, views, beliefs. 2. In occultism - the manifestation of criteria in an individual...

Philosophical Dictionary

(shared knowledge, know, know): the ability of a person to be aware of his duty and responsibility to other people, to independently evaluate and control his behavior, to be a judge of his own thoughts and actions. “The matter of conscience is the matter of a person, which he conducts...

Philosophical Dictionary

The ability of a person to exercise moral self-control, independently form moral duties for himself, demand that he fulfill them, and make a self-assessment of his actions. S. can manifest itself not only in the form of reasonable awareness of moral...

Philosophical Dictionary

(Greek syneidesis, Lat. conscientia) - is usually interpreted as a person’s ability to distinguish between good and evil, as an inner voice that tells us about moral truth, about higher values, about our dignity. A person not only “has a conscience,” but “he himself is a conscience” (S. Fagin)....

Philosophical Dictionary

An ethical category that expresses an individual’s ability to exercise moral self-control, to determine from the standpoint of good and evil the attitude towards one’s own and others’ actions. makes its assessments as if independently of practical interests, but in various manifestations a person’s conscience...

Philosophical Dictionary

A category of ethics that expresses an individual’s ability to exercise moral self-control, to determine from the standpoint of good and evil the attitude towards one’s own and others’ actions and lines of behavior. S. makes his assessments as if independently of practicality. interest, but in reality in different...

Philosophical Dictionary

The concept of moral consciousness, internal conviction of what is good and evil, consciousness of moral responsibility for one’s behavior; expression of an individual’s ability to exercise moral self-control on the basis of the norms and rules formulated in a given society...

Conscience

And so conscience - what is it? Let's first see what Vicki thinks about this:
Conscience is the ability of an individual to independently formulate moral duties and exercise moral self-control, demand their fulfillment from himself and evaluate the actions he commits; one of the expressions of a person’s moral self-awareness. It manifests itself both in the form of rational awareness of the moral significance of the actions performed, and in the form of emotional experiences - feelings of guilt or “remorse” [source not specified 1736 days], that is, it links together the mind and emotions.

To some extent, this is indeed true.
But let's look at it deeper, removing all the developments and raids.

We all know that there is a certain core in a person, it is not in vain that they say that a person does not change, indeed, the core is given alone for life, and it does not change. But sometimes we hear one of our friends tell us that a mutual acquaintance, what a great fellow he is, he has changed (and maybe in...

There were Darwinists who argued that conscience is an unnecessary feeling that should be gotten rid of. It is interesting to quote the words of Hitler, who, as is known, was one of the thinkers of social Darwinism (the doctrine according to which the laws of natural selection and the struggle for existence, which, according to Charles Darwin, operate in nature, extend to human society): “I liberate man from the humiliating chimera called conscience.” And further…

In ancient Greek mythology S. gets fantastic. depiction in the form of the image of Erinyes, goddesses of curse, revenge and punishment, pursuing and punishing criminals, but acting as benefactors (eumenides) in relation to the repentant. In ethics, the problem of personal socialism was first posed by Socrates, whom he considered the source of morals. a person’s judgments are his self-knowledge (ancient Greek….

There was one ancient wisdom among the people: “Even though conscience has no teeth, it can gnaw the soul.”

And it just so happened that people began to forget these words, like many other important things. But it was not in vain that our ancestors made up proverbs about conscience. They knew that without her the Russian people would be lost and they would not be happy.

So, what proverbs about conscience and duty should every person know? Why does he need them? And what is conscience anyway?

What is conscience?

It just so happens that each person has his own conscience. "Why is that?" - you ask. Yes, because every person is built differently. Some are brought up in good families and taught goodness and order, while others are raised in evil ones. Therefore, growing up, people have different ideas about morality, and accordingly, their conscience is different.

According to psychologists, conscience is the moral and ethical rules that determine the inner world of an individual. Violation of these unwritten laws leads to the fact that a person begins to experience...

What is conscience and what does it mean to live according to conscience?

Most people have some kind of internal censor that helps them distinguish between positive and negative aspects in life. It is important to learn to listen to the voice inside yourself and follow its advice, and then it will serve as a guide to a happy future.

What does conscience mean?

There are several definitions of this concept: for example, conscience is considered the ability to independently identify one’s own responsibilities for self-control and evaluate committed actions. Psychologists, explaining what conscience is in their own words, give the following definition: it is an internal quality that gives a chance to understand how well a person understands his own responsibility for the act committed.

To determine what conscience is, it is necessary to note the fact that it is divided into two types. The first includes actions that a person performs with a certain moral background. The second type involves the emotions experienced...

People always talk about conscience, sometimes without even understanding what is meant by this concept. Let's figure out what conscience is. Conscience is often compared to a compass, which is so necessary for travelers to avoid getting into trouble. In appearance, it is a simple device with a magnetized arrow that always points north. But if it works correctly and if it is used in conjunction with a detailed map, disaster can be avoided. This is very similar to conscience. If she is properly trained, she will protect us, but only if we respond quickly to her warnings.

Different opinions about conscience

Without conscience we would be lost. There are many theories regarding the definition of conscience. For example, the Bible explains what conscience is. Literally, this word means “knowing oneself.” This ability to know ourselves is given to us by God. It turns out that we can see ourselves from the outside and evaluate our actions, decisions and feelings. Conscience not only contributes to our joy, but can greatly...

“You have no conscience!”, “I wish I had a conscience!”, “Conscience is the best controller.” "Remorse". We have heard these and many other statements about conscience more than once or twice in our lives. So what is conscience? Why do we need it? How do we know whether we have it or not, and how not to lose it?

Conscience is a kind of regulator of our relationships with people around us. At the same time, everyone has their own regulator. A person’s conscience is a purely individual concept, there is no standard in it, it cannot be measured and said: “My conscience is greater than yours.” It all depends on how capable a person is of regulating his moral and ethical behavior, the norms of which are different for everyone and depend on upbringing, social environment, personal qualities, and life experience. At the level of feelings, conscience helps us evaluate the wrongness or correctness of actions or deeds.

What is conscience: conscience in life examples

Conscience has a strong influence on our lives and can...

Following the discussions

Conscience: a brief summary of the discussion of the same name

Who among us is not familiar with our inner voice, called conscience, which either accuses us from within and oppresses us, or gives us a feeling of joy and satisfaction for what we have done!?! This is our internal controller and judge, incorruptible and impartial. Just as a hungry person cannot convince himself that he is full, and an exhausted person cannot convince himself that he is cheerful and full of strength and energy, so we cannot convince ourselves that we have acted well and correctly when our conscience convicts us of what we did wrong.

I. WHAT IS CONSCIENCE?

1. Dictionary definitions:
Ushakov's Dictionary: Conscience is an internal assessment, an internal consciousness of the morality of one’s actions, a sense of moral responsibility for one’s behavior.
Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: Conscience is a person’s moral consciousness, expressed in the assessment of one’s own and others’ actions, based on a certain criterion of goodness and...

1) Conscience is a category of ethics that expresses an individual’s ability to exercise moral self-control, to determine from the standpoint of good and evil the attitude towards one’s own and others’ actions and lines of behavior. S. makes his assessments as if independently of practicality. interest, but in reality, in various manifestations, a person’s S. reflects the impact on him of specific. historical, social class living conditions and education. S. does not generate, but only consolidates and reproduces those values ​​and assessments that have been developed in society. practice, and therefore ultimately depends on the class. and societies, human belongings. Scientific atheism is opposed to nihilism. attitude towards S., considering her creatures to be a feature of the spiritual appearance of the individual, and against the attitude towards her as an unchangeable and infallible judge given to us by God. With the progress of social and cultural progress intelligence. honesty as one of the requirements of S. more and more urgently requires the rejection of relit, faith, as having no logical. and factual justifications, as well as...

Conscience is the ability of the human spirit to distinguish between good and evil, the consciousness of good and evil (St. Ignatius Brianchaninov), a natural law that requires from the human mind a life pleasing to God (St. Abba Dorotheus).

Conscience is a desirable or active force (ability) of the human spirit, pointing a person to good and demanding its fulfillment. Being closely connected with reason and feeling, conscience has a practical character and can be called practical consciousness (St. Theophan the Recluse). If the mind knows and the senses feel, then conscience, as an active force, determines the type of activity of the spirit in relation to an object cognizable by the mind and sensed by the senses.

In the word “conscience,” the root “news” together with the particle “co” indicates “communication” and “co-action.” Human conscience initially did not act alone. In man before the Fall, she acted together with God Himself, abiding in His human soul...

Social Psychology. Dictionary under. ed. M.Yu. Kondratieva

Conscience is the ability of an individual to exercise moral self-control, independently formulate moral duties for oneself, demand that one fulfill them and evaluate the actions performed; one of the expressions of a person’s moral self-awareness. WITH….

Large dictionary of esoteric terms - edited by Doctor of Medical Sciences. Stepanov A.M.

(Russian, joint message, generalized knowledge). 1. The feeling and consciousness of moral responsibility for one’s behavior and actions to oneself, to the people around him, to society; moral principles, views, beliefs. 2. In occultism – the manifestation of criteria in an individual...

Philosophical Dictionary

(shared knowledge, know, know): the ability of a person to be aware of his duty and responsibility to other people, to independently evaluate and control his behavior, to be a judge of his own thoughts and ...

What is conscience?

What is conscience and can you confidently be guided by your conscience? How does a Bible-trained conscience help you make good decisions in life?

Conscience

Walking down a busy street, you pass an elegantly dressed woman who, without noticing, drops a wad of money. Bending down to pick this one up
pack, you see a woman hastily getting into an expensive car.

What will you do? Will you call out to her or quickly hide the money in your pocket?

It depends on your conscience. What will she tell you? More importantly: can you trust her? Can you confidently guide your conscience?

Conscience is a natural sense of conviction about what is good and evil, just and unjust, moral and immoral. In the Bible, the principle of conscience is described in Romans 2:14, 15 in these words:

“For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do what is lawful by nature, then, not having the law...

Introduction

Even in ancient times, philosophers and sages pondered about this voice: where does it come from and what is its nature? Various assumptions and theories have been put forward. The presence of this voice created special problems for philosophers and scientists of the “new time”, who see in man only a material being and deny the existence of the soul.

There were Darwinists who argued that conscience is an unnecessary feeling that should be gotten rid of. It is interesting to quote the words of Hitler, who, as is known, was one of the thinkers of social Darwinism (the doctrine according to which the laws of natural selection and the struggle for existence, which, according to Charles Darwin, operate in nature, extend to human society): “I liberate man from the humiliating chimera that...

Conscience refers exclusively to internal moral concepts. It implies a person’s ability to evaluate his behavior, his motives, and internal desires from the standpoint of awareness of his own imperfection. A person’s conscience is always a conversation alone with himself, therefore it excludes the presence of categories such as shame and fear, which are more of an external response to non-compliance with generally accepted norms. The feeling of one's imperfection and dissatisfaction with oneself leads a person to moral experiences known as “reproaches of conscience” or “pangs of conscience.”

In Christianity, conscience is one of the gifts given to man by God. This is good for a person, as it does not allow a person to completely turn to the path of sin. Christians are instructed to train their conscience, which means to constantly reflect on the conformity of their actions with Christian morality.

If incorrect behavior leads a person to a “troubled conscience”, on the contrary, successful...

Most people have some kind of internal censor that helps them distinguish between positive and negative aspects in life. It is important to learn to listen to the voice inside yourself and follow its advice, and then it will serve as a guide to a happy future.

What does conscience mean?

There are several definitions of this concept: for example, conscience is considered the ability to independently identify one’s own responsibilities for self-control and evaluate committed actions. Psychologists, explaining what conscience is in their own words, give the following definition: it is an internal quality that gives a chance to understand how well a person understands his own responsibility for the act committed.

To determine what conscience is, it is necessary to note the fact that it is divided into two types. The first includes actions that a person performs with a certain moral background. The second type involves the emotions that an individual experiences as a result of performing certain actions, for example. There are people who, even after doing bad things, do not worry at all and in such a situation they say that the inner voice is asleep.

What is conscience according to Freud?

The famous psychologist believes that every person has a superego, which consists of conscience and ego-ideal. The first develops as a result of parental education and the use of various punishments. According to Freud, conscience includes the ability to self-criticize, the presence of certain moral prohibitions and the emergence of feelings of guilt. As for the second element, the ego ideal, it arises as a result of approval and positive evaluation of actions. Freud believes that the superego was fully formed when parental control gave way to self-control.

Types of conscience

It may surprise many that there are several types of this internal quality. The first type is personal conscience, which is narrowly focused. With its help, a person determines what is good and what is bad. The next concept of collective conscience covers the interests and actions of those who are not affected by the personal type. It has limitations because it only applies to people within a specific group. The third type - spiritual conscience does not take into account the limitations of the types discussed above.

What is conscience needed for?

Many people have asked this question at least once in their lives, and so, if there were no inner voice, then a person would not distinguish which actions are good and which are bad. Without internal control, to live a good life, you would have to have an assistant who would guide, give advice and help you draw the right conclusions. Another important point regarding why conscience is needed - it helps a person understand life, get the right guidance and realize himself. It is worth saying that it cannot be separated from morality and ethics.

What does it mean to live according to your conscience?

Unfortunately, not all people can boast that they live by the rules, forgetting about this quality and thereby betraying themselves. Thanks to this internal quality, a person performs certain actions, understanding what is good and what is bad, and also knows such concepts as justice and morality. A person who lives according to the convictions of his conscience is able to live in truth and in love. For him, such qualities as deception, betrayal, insincerity, and so on are unacceptable.

If you live by the rules, then you need to listen to your own soul, which will allow you to choose the right direction in life. In this case, the person will not commit actions for which he will subsequently feel shame and guilt. To understand what a clear conscience is, it is worth noting that in the modern world it is not easy to find people with such a trait, since in life there are many situations and temptations when one simply crosses the line. The formation of this quality is directly influenced by the upbringing of parents and the immediate environment from which the child can take an example.

Why do people act dishonestly?

Modern life cannot be called simple, since almost every day a person encounters various temptations and problems. Although many people know how to act according to their conscience, sometimes people cross the line. The reason why conscience disappeared is of a cause-and-effect nature. In most cases, a person transgresses his own beliefs in order to satisfy his ambitions. This can also be driven by selfish goals, the desire to not stand out from the crowd, to protect yourself from attacks from others, and so on.

What is a clear conscience?

When a person lives according to the rules, realizes the righteousness of fulfilling his own duties and does not harm anyone with his actions, then they talk about such a thing as a “calm” or “clear” conscience. In this case, the individual does not feel or know of any bad deeds. If a person chooses to live according to his conscience, then he must always take into account not only his own situation, but also the opinions and conditions of others. Psychologists believe that confidence in the purity of one’s conscience is hypocrisy or indicates blindness to one’s own mistakes.

What is a bad conscience?

The exact opposite of the previous definition, since a bad conscience is an unpleasant feeling that arises as a result of committing a bad act, which causes bad mood and experiences. A bad conscience is very close to the concept of guilt, and a person feels it at the emotional level, for example, in the form of fear, anxiety and other discomfort. As a result, a person experiences and suffers from various issues within himself, and by listening to the inner voice, compensation for negative consequences occurs.

What is pangs of conscience?

When a person commits bad actions, he begins to worry about the fact that he has harmed others. Pangs of conscience are a feeling of discomfort that appears due to the fact that people often set inflated demands on themselves that do not correspond to their essence. Correct internal qualities are cultivated in childhood, when parents praise for good things and scold them for bad things. As a result, a certain fear of being punished for committing unclean acts remains in a person for the rest of his life, and in such a situation they say that his conscience is tormenting him.

There is another version, according to which conscience is a kind of instrument that measures the true measure of things. For the right decisions a person receives satisfaction, and for bad ones he is tormented by a feeling of guilt. It is believed that if people do not experience such discomfort at all, then this is. Scientists have not yet been able to determine why the feeling of shame and guilt may be absent; there is an opinion that it is all due to improper upbringing or biological factors.

What to do if your conscience torments you?

It is difficult to meet a person who could confirm that he has never committed bad actions contrary to his beliefs. Feelings of guilt can spoil your mood, prevent you from enjoying life, developing, and so on. There are cases when an adult has become more principled in the case of morality, and then the mistakes of the past begin to emerge in memory, and then problems with one’s own soul cannot be avoided. There are several tips on what to do if your conscience is tormented.

How to develop conscience in a person?

Parents should definitely think about how to raise a good person who will know what conscience is and how to use it correctly. There are many parenting styles, and if we talk about extremes, then this is rigidity and complete permissiveness. The process of forming important internal qualities is based on complete trust in parents. The stage of explanation is of great importance, when adults convey to the child why something can be done and something cannot be done.

If adults are interested in how to develop conscience, then the principle of action here is slightly different. First you need to think and analyze which decisions are good and which are bad. It is worth determining their cause and consequences. To understand what conscience is and how to develop this quality in yourself, psychologists recommend doing at least one positive action every day, for which it is important to praise yourself.

Make yourself a rule - before you make a promise, think carefully about whether you will be able to fulfill it. To avoid guilt, it is important to keep your word. Experts advise learning to refuse people who propose to do something contrary to existing beliefs. Acting according to your conscience does not mean doing everything only for those around you, forgetting about your own life principles and priorities. By acting truthfully, you can expect to get a result that will satisfy everyone involved.

Instructions

If we try to understand the essence of this quality of human nature, then first of all the answer will come at the level of feelings. Deep down in their souls, all people understand what they are talking about when they hear from someone: “I’ve completely lost it.” But when we describe conscience in words, we involuntarily begin to name different characteristics of human behavior.

Conscience manifests itself primarily in the ability to evaluate actions, both one’s own and those of others, from the standpoint of good and evil. It is not the mind, but the human soul that is responsible for this moral consciousness. He who lives according to the dictates of his heart has more conscience.

According to the sensible V.I. Dahl, conscience is “an innate truth, in varying degrees of development.” It turns out that we all come into this world conscientious, but we each work on its development in our own way. And, although an individual has his own sense of truth, it is conscience that is the common measure of truth for all people.

When we judge someone, we can say we shame him. The feeling of shame is our indicator of moral behavior in the family and in public life. Moral principles are brought up from childhood and cultivated at school. But, nevertheless, not all of us follow the voice of conscience equally. And some people’s voice is loud and clear, while another person’s is very quiet.

There is another aspect to this concept. It refers to a person's faith in God. The phrase "conscience" means no restrictions on the choice of religion or refusal to worship. Consequently, conscience is directly related to a person’s personal freedom and, at the same time, is responsible for his harmonious existence with other people.

When we reflect, we understand that this is something personal that concerns directly the soul. Therefore, we rarely use this word in the description, which is natural in the present time of increasing conventions in communication between people.

Apparently, it is precisely because the presence of conscience is the primary condition for good relationships with others that we react so sharply to unscrupulous behavior. And we take its presence for granted. And yet, before rushing to critically evaluate another person, it would not hurt us to look more often into our own soul storehouse. Check how clear our own conscience is and how often we follow its prompts.

“Conscience is the voice of God!” - That's what believers think. Atheists find it difficult to give conscience an exact definition. One thing is certain: conscience has a great influence on a person. She helps him refrain from bad actions, thoughts, and desires. Each person decides for himself: to listen to the voice of his conscience, or to brush it aside, consider it his enemy or friend.

Why conscience is man's friend

There are no perfect people. Any person, even the most worthy and decent one, is capable of slipping up and not behaving in the best way. His offense may remain or he may be treated leniently: they say, he is without sin. And the offender himself will find excuses for himself (tired, nervous, etc.). But his conscience will not remain silent. Maybe not immediately, after some time, but she will remind herself, show the person that he was wrong, and force him to atone for his guilt.

Often it is the voice of conscience that tells people what to do in a given situation. For example, if a person is faced with a difficult choice: to commit a dishonest act that will bring real benefits, or to refuse benefits received at such a price. Conscience can resist the temptation to take the path of dishonor and preserve a good name.

It’s not for nothing that they say about a decent, honest person: “He is conscientious.” And a deceitful, unworthy person is characterized with the words: “He has neither shame nor conscience.”

Conscience is a kind of indicator of a person’s moral level, his ability to distinguish good from evil, and bear responsibility for his words and actions. Many great people have discussed the importance of conscience for a person. For example, Leo Tolstoy, answering the question of which two desires would make him truly happy, said: “Be useful and have a clear conscience.”

In what cases can conscience become an enemy?

People are familiar with the expressions: “Tormented by remorse”, “Conscience”. That is, a person experiences moral suffering and shame because of some unworthy act. There seems to be nothing wrong with this. On the contrary, such repentance speaks in his favor, because an unscrupulous, heartless person would not worry.

However, there are many impressionable people with a heightened sense of responsibility who can equate any mistake they make to a tragedy. They very often worry about a trifle, blame themselves, and experience strong remorse even in cases where their guilt is very insignificant (and sometimes completely absent). This can cause great harm to health, because constant nervous tension does not go away without leaving a trace.

In addition, such overly conscientious people often easily succumb to other people's suggestion and influence.

category of ethics, reflecting a person’s moral responsibility to himself; the inner need to act justly; a person’s system of moral beliefs and at the same time the ability to apply these beliefs to self-assessment of one’s own behavior.

Great definition

Incomplete definition ↓

CONSCIENCE

the ability of a person, critically assessing his actions, thoughts, desires, to realize and experience his inconsistency with what should be as his own imperfection. From a cultural-historical point of view, the idea and concept of "S." develop in the process of understanding various self-control mechanisms. In contrast to fear (of authority, punishment) and shame (which also reflects a person’s awareness of his inconsistency with certain accepted norms), S. is perceived as autonomous. As a moral regulator, it focuses on the fulfillment of perfection and expresses a person’s responsibility to himself as a subject of higher and universally significant (as well as absolute and universal) values. In the most general sense, in moral philosophy S. is interpreted as an “inner voice”; the differences relate to the understanding of the source of this “voice”, which is perceived as independent of the person’s “I” or as the voice of his innermost “I”, or as “another I”. Associated with this are various theoretical positions regarding the nature of S. 1. S. is the generalized and internalized “voice” of significant others or culture, and its content is culturally and historically variable. 2. S. expresses a person’s feeling of disagreement with himself and thereby represents one of the proofs of a person’s personality and self-awareness; being conscientious, a person is independent of external pressure. 3. S. is not only metaphorically, but also essentially interpreted as the “voice of the other”; "through the mouth of S." as if the Universal Law, the highest Truth, speaks. With the differences in these attitudes are associated differences in understanding the content of socialism and the role it plays in a person’s moral life. S. can be interpreted negatively and positively. As a negative S. appears warning, critical, and judgmental. As a positive S. also appears as an incentive to care and “determination” (M. Heidegger). S.'s discretion as the voice of God predetermines the understanding of her as a call to perfection; Accordingly, conscience is recognized by a person as the will to perfection and is the main thing. a manifestation of the internal liberation of the individual. The expression "pure S." in ordinary speech it denotes a person’s awareness of the fulfillment of his obligations or the realization of all his capabilities in a given specific situation. Essentially, in such cases it is a question of dignity. The expression "freedom S." denotes the human right to independence of inner spiritual life. In a narrower and more common sense, "freedom S." means freedom of religion. In a moral sense, S. cannot be anything other than free.