WORKBOOK Conscience: Questions for Discussion and Consideration

1. What kind of ‘law’ is conscience?

2. What philosophical problems occur when someone suggests ‘Conscience is the voice of God’?

3. ‘It is not so much that I have a conscience – a special piece of equipment – as that I am a conscience.’ What do you think MacNamara means by this? (See Torevell’s article on this site for a discussion of MacNamara’s views)

4. What did St. Thomas Aquinas mean by ‘culpable ignorance’ when referring to conscience?

5. What is the relationship between conscience and external authority in moral decision-making?