Conscience (“Little Voice”)

It is the practical judgment of reason upon

an individual act. An act of human intellect
regarding an action with respect to moral
matter

Conscience can be heteronomous conscience,

which focus on laws and obligations, while
autonomous conscience is totally subjective
which ignores the law.

Levels of Conscience
A. Antecedent Actual Conscience
This refers to making a judgment before
performing a moral human act.

B. Concomitant Actual Conscience

This refers to actual awareness of the
goodness and badness of a human act.

C. Consequent Actual Conscience

This refers to the person’s moral
reflection to past action.

Qualities of Conscience
A. Qualities which refers to a Personal Freedom
a. Free
 able to assume a personal moral
stand
b. Unfree
 hindered by some obstacle such
as fear or anger

B. Qualities which refers to Objective Values

a. Correct
  decisions are in conformity with
the moral values

C. Qualities which refers to Moral Attitude

a. Lax – is one which refuses to be bothered
about the distinction of good and evil.

b. Strict – is one which the moral

obligations are judge too harshly.

c. Scrupulous – is one that is constantly in

doubt, in fear of sin when there is none,
or in fear of mortal sin when there is only
venial sin.

A scrupulous conscience can be

helped by direction from a wise
confessor, humble prayer, and
sometimes by professional help.

d. Pharisaical – is one that is excessively or

hypocritically judge by a self-righteous
person.

e. Clear – is one that is free and certain

with the moral human act.

f. Callous – is one that has no conscience at

all.

D. Qualities which refers to Degree of Certitude

a. Perplexed – a conscience, which is
confused or bewildered.

b. Doubtful – a conscience with insufficient

evidence to make a certain judgment.
 c. Probable – a conscience which arrives a
practical judgment however consider it as
apparently true.

d. certain - is one that applies moral norms

to particular cases in conformity with
right reason.

Qualities of a fully mature and responsible

conscience
A. Free
B. Correct
C. Clear
D. Certain

Obligations relative to conscience

A. When our conscience is honestly and
correctly formed, we are obliged to follow it
in any circumstances.

B. An individual must always act in accordance

with certain conscience

C. No one is allowed to act with a doubtful

conscience.