CONSCIENCE IN THOMAS AQUINAS: A PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION

CONSCIENCE IN THOMAS AQUINAS: A PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE  ………………………………………………..…….i

CERTIFICATION…………………………………………ii

DEDICATION………………………………………….….iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………….iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………….vi

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Introduction…………………………………….1

• Background Of The study………………………………………3
• Statement Of The Problem…………………………………….5
• Purpose Of The Study…………………………………………..6
• Scope Of The Study…………………………………………….6
• Method Of Research……………………………………………7
• 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.

CONSCIENCE IN THOMAS AQUINAS: A PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION