Should our Conscience Determine What Actions are Morally Right and Wrong?

By Amanda Thompson <amandat211@yahoo.com>

There are so many ways to respond to this question. Before anything else, I think it’s important to remember what “moral” means. Something of moral concern has the potential to help or harm oneself or others. While I do believe that your conscience provides you with that internal intuition of what is right and wrong, the “right” may not necessarily apply to people other than yourself. Our conscience is there to help us decide what is right for our own self; the decision we make based on our conscience may or may not coincidentally benefit a larger population. After all, what is right for one person may not be right for another. Furthermore, our conscience can easily be altered by things such as environmental factors. For instance, someone who has just finished off a few beers probably won’t have the same sense of right and wrong as before, therefore having an altered conscience. A person who barely survived a traumatic event or lost loved ones from some traumatic event may not have the same sense of right and wrong as before. Although many people may not agree, my opinion is that while our conscience should be recognized, it should certainly not be the only determinant of what is morally right and wrong. The answer really just depends on how you perceive this question.

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Travis Galloway <hyperdedo@hotmail.com>

I agree with you... Our conscience is merely an ever-changing construt and therefore should not alone decide our actions... Besides, going against your conscience is what makes things interesting.... nice paper


Cynthia Glanton <cynthia_glanton@hotmail.com>

Nice paper. I agree that a person's conscience and sense of what is right and wrong can change depending that person's life.


Crystal Gray <crystalg32@hotmail.com>

This was a good paper. I agree how you stated that your conscience changes depending on what type of situation you may be in, so therefore it is not always safe to say that you should let your conscience determine what is morally right or wrong.


Danny Frady <garydfrady@hotmail.com>

I concur with you and strongly back your point of allowing someones concience to guide them. If they do not follow their concience, then they will suffer the consenquences.


Heather Renfro <jewel@emeraldis.com>

I thought it was great that you put a few examples in your paper to help the readers understand your thoughts. This paper was easy to read and understand--great job!


Eric Howell <grayghost13@hotmail.com>

I think you brought up many good points, and explained your question nicely. I think you are right when you said that what is right for one person is not right for another, or a group as a whole. Good Paper.


Chris Graham <collge-guy@inetgenesis.com>

Good paper. You point is a good one. But if our conscience doesn't determine our morals, who/ what does?


Missy Kergosien <missc4@hotmail.com>

I too believe that environmental factors and prior experiences effect one's conscious. Since one's conscious is potentially everchanging, other elements should aid one's decision making. Your paper provides much insight.


Nichole Vernon <nichole317@excite.com>

i agree. we should always consider what is morally right or wrong before making a decision and consult it with our conscience. after all, situations vary and what can be considered wrong or right for one situation can not be considered the same for another.


Byron Freeman <lessonsfrombeej@yahoo.com>

This was a well thoughtout paper. It was good that you took into consideration outside factors that could possible effect the outcome.


Byron Freeman <lessonsfrombeej@yahoo.com>

This was a well thoughtout paper. It was good that you took into consideration outside factors that could possible effect the outcome.


Tally Loyd <Tally_Loyd@Hotmail.com>

This question invites a tautalogous answer since the assumption usually is made that conscience always is conducive to good.

I find it interesting that you (like most other people) automatically assign a positive connotation to the term "conscience."
To me, the conscience is a merely product of conditioning (a respone to previous experiences). Consequently, I refrain from taking a stand on the issue of whether conscience is good or bad. Granted, the dictionary denotation is "a feeling of obligation to do right or be good," but good intentions do not necessarily generate good results. (Is an evil person always amoral?)

In a utopian world, I think that conscience SHOULD guide our behavior -- given that conscience always is formed from healthy, loving, and non-traumatic experiences.
But just as you mentioned that one's experiences could change one's conscience, could one's conscience then not change into something extreme such as pure evil given the sufficient circumstances?
Curiously, we (as a society) choose to rather look upon such incidents as a complete lack/absence of conscience than as a good conscience gone bad. Could a person not produce evil while believing that he/she is being good?

So, although for perhaps different reasons, I agree that conscience should NOT guide our behaviour. Good paper. :)


Matt <surfski8@hotmail.com>

good paper


Wendy Garner <wlg51@backroads.net>

I agree. A persons conscience and beliefs both personal and religous helps to decide what is right and wrong.


Kimberly Pitts <KLP103@hotmail>

I agree with amanda, I believe you should recognize your conscience but that it varies among different individuals.


jason stansill <jasonstansill@hotmail.com>

I feel that this was a great paper and that you realy can't rely on your concience all the time! It is only a tool that may or may not help you make the right judgement. But it is nice to have around! Jason Stansill.


jason stansill <jasonstansill@hotmail.com>

I feel that this was a great paper and that you realy can't rely on your concience all the time! It is only a tool that may or may not help you make the right judgement. But it is nice to have around! Jason Stansill.


Heather Ferguson <addysmomF@netscape.net>

Neat paper!


Coleman Steifle <csteifle@hotmail.com>

I agree. I like how you defined the terms, gave examples, and then concluded with your thoughts. You managed to get in, get out, and make a point. Nice job!


Chad Williams <czm_1@hotmail.com>

I agree. However, you brought up a lot of interesting ideas that I think you could have developed a bit more. Don't tease me like that! I love hearing good ideas!


Will Mulkey <wrmulkey@hotmail.com>

I agree with your opinion. I liked the example you gave of how things may change after having a few beers. Good paper!


Karen <karen_long@email.com>

I think that you answered that question perfectly. Perception is reality and how or what we perceive can make all the difference.


Cindy Bourret <lucy12241979@hotmail.com>

Good job on the paper!


Matt Culbertson <mculbertson@hspower.com>

Great paper. I agree that our conscience can change with circumstance and can conform to a particular situation.


Comments Closed <10.05.01>

Further comments are voluntary.


Eric Doyle Knight <frruita@hotmail.com>

You made good points. I feel the consciensce has its validity, but it should not be the only factor in decision-making. Some very good, poignant ideas from Tally. I also especially like Travis's idea about going against the conscience. That makes piles of sense. What fun would life be if we did everything according to conscience?