What guides our conscience: reason or emotion?

Question

Do you think our conscience is guided by reason, emotion, or both? Is there such a thing as pure altruism?

explaination please?

Answer 1

God.

Answer 2

First of all, conscience is the byproduct of a particular way of looking at life. To someone with a different perspective on life conscience means nothing.

Having said that, conscience appears to be influenced by both reason and emotion. When each experience can be judged as "right" or "wrong" then reason and emotion will play a part is guiding our actions, because the outcome of that choice is either "reward" or "punishment".

In theory pure altruism can exist, but not if our actions are guided by even the remotest hint of a reward of some sort to ourself. Our thoughts, emotions and feelings are very complex that we have to constantly examine them to ensure our actions are truly altruistic.

Answer 3

The conscious is not guided by either. It's actually a part of the brain that controls it, however, the conscious does illicit emotional responses.

As far as pure altruism goes; that's arguable. A lot of people do good things because it FEELs good, giving them no tangible reward. That can be argued both ways. However, something along the lines of a parent taking a bullet for their child, and dying in the process, could be considered true altruism. The parent wasn't able to reap any reward.

Answer 4

If I let fear guide my conscience I would leave this reality immediately. I simply live my life based on a set of rules passed down by mankind over the centuries. Rules that were so exemplary that the Christians even used them in their Bible. Most of the so called ten commandments where in effect for thousands of years before Christianity ever came along. Are goodness and evil built into the genes. Ask a priest that has just molested a young boy. I'm certainly no expert on such matters.

Answer 5

John Paul II (JPII) did much speaking on this:

"Conscience, in fact, is the 'place' where man is illuminated by a light which does not come to him from his created and always fallible reason, but from the very Wisdom of the Word in whom all things were created,"

" Only a correctly-formed conscience rightly corresponds to human dignity -- a conscience that searches for the truth and, enlightened by it, decides. Therefore human dignity requires that a person orient his conscience in accordance with the lawful order established by the Creator; in matter of conscience he must consult the truth revealed in Christ and include the Church's authoritative teaching."

"The formation of on's conscience is a fundamental duty. The reason is very simple; our conscience can err. An when error prevails over it, it becomes a cause of the greatest harm for the human person ... " < JPII, L'Osservatore Romano general audience Aug 1983>

"Q: Isn't it sufficient to follow my own conscience?
A: It is not sufficient, therefore, to say to man: 'Always follow your conscience.' It is necessary to add immediately and always: 'Ask yourself if your conscience is telling you the truth or something false, and seek untiringly to know the truth.' If we were not to make this necessary clarification, man would risk to find in his conscience a force which is destructive of his true humanity, rather than that holy place where God reveals to him his true good." < JPII, ibid >

Answer 6

Conscience is guided by reason. Emotion only follows once you've made the choice.

Answer 7

I believe both guide because we sometimes react emotionally and sometimes from our intellect; we either feel it's the right thing to do or we know it's the right thing to do.

Altruism can occur only when there's absolutely no benefit so if someone does something to benefit someone/something else - strictly because they know it should be done without deriving ANY satisfaction (emotionally or intellectually), then it's an altruistic act, Doesn't happen too often.

Answer 8

We use conscience to determine whats right, therefore it is guided by reason, which is a mix of experience and lessons learned.

Answer 9

It is a result of the will and intellect which are faculties or powers of the brain. There is probably a sense in which conscience is an instinct as well. It is another one of those complex and irreducible phenomena.

Answer 10

Our ethical principals guide our conscious. It is the training we all had as children weather it was from our parents, or school or church. Even most atheists, although they would never admit it get their morals from the religion, they or their family once believed. the voice in out head, is our own, but what tells it what to do is our ingrained training.

Answer 11

i am, personally, much more guided by emotion. i have a very hard time with reasoning things out before I act.