Summary Conscience notes OCR A level

OCR RELIGION AND ETHICS UNIT: CONSCIENCE
AQUINAS TELEOLOGICAL APPROACH:

A device or faculty that we use for distinguishing right from wrong by using our reason
Two parts to making a moral decision
a) SYNDERESIS: right reason, awareness of being able to do good and prevent evil
b) CONSCIENTIA: distinguishes between right and wrong and applies this knowledge and
makes the moral decision
c) by conscience the knowledge given through synderesis is applied to particular actions’ De
verit’

People do wrong when they:
- Do what is known to be wrong
- Go against their conscience
- We should follow our conscience at all times as it is derived from God and God can reveal to
us what is in accordance with His will.
- Conscience is simply reasoning and when used correctly it will lead to know what God wills
for us.
- We do wrong when we ignore our conscience and act according to ignorance ( culpable
ignorance)- a person knows what they should be doing but fails to do it.

STRENGTHS OF AQUINAS

 Shows that humans can reason right and wrong, yet make wrong decision and still be
accountable for their actions.
 You can accept his ideas, even if one is not Christian