Abstract
There is no doubt that conscience is connected with the sphere of ethics; a closer study of the phenomenon of conscience leads into the field of psychology as well. Now that I, as a Catholic moral theologian, am to say something about the conscience phenomenon, I would like firstly to refer to two extremely diverging statements made recently by two Catholic moral theologians. In the foreword to his Fundamentalmoral (1977)1 F. Böckle says that he is dispensing with a chapter on conscience as he cedes this subject to the competency of the psychologists and will apply himself to the problems concerning justified ethical judgment. Contrary to this, A. Molinaro identifies moral conscience and moral norm in his most recent article on conscience (1983)2 and understands them as being “the constitution of the ethical subject or person”. In the following an attempt will firsty be made at grasping the conscience-phenomenon to a certain extent3 in order to be able to study the primary subject-orientation and the merely secondary object-orientation more closely afterwards.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes
F. Böckle, Fundamentalmoral, Munich 1977,12.
A. Molinaro, ‘Coscienza e norma etica’, in T. Goffi and G. Piana (eds.), Corso di Morale, I, Brescia 1983,449 and especially 453.
Cf. also: K. Golser, Gewissen und objektive Sittenordnung. Zum Begriff des Gewissens in der neueren katholischen Moraltheologie, Vienna 1975.
Cf. H. Preuschoft, ‘Angeborene Verhaltensmuster, Konflikt, Norm, Gewissen: Wie frei sind Entschlüsse?’, in J. Fuchs (ed.), Das Gewissen. Vorgegebene Norm verantwortlichen Handelns oder Produkt gesellschaftlicher Zwänge? Düsseldorf 1979,9–18.
Cf. J. Fuchs, Das Gewissen, op. cit., Foreword.
J. W. Glaser, ‘Conscience and Super-Ego: A Key Distinction’, in Theological Studies 32 (1971), 30–47.
Thomas Aquinas, In Eth. Nie., 1. VI, 1.1., n. 1131. Cf. also the essay by D. Capone, Intorno alla verità morale (Excerpta ex dissert. Pont. Univ. Greg.), Naples 1951.
Cf. also the essay by K. Golser quoted above.
Cf. J. Fuchs, ‘Moral Truths - Truth of Salvation?’, in J. Fuchs, Christian Ethics in a Secular Arena, Washington, D. C. 1984,48–67.
This is how I believe D. Capone’s interpretation ofPersona humana (1975) with regard to homosexuality (in: L’Osservatcre Romano of 28. Jan. 1976) and also his interpretation of Humanae vitae (in: Lateranum 44 (1978), 195–227) should be understood.
Cf. Vat. II, Gaudium et spes, n. 16.
Cf. J. Fuchs, ‘The Question Addressed to Conscience’, in J. Fuchs, Personal Responsibility and Christian Morality, Washington, D. C. 1983, 216–228.
Cf. also J. Fuchs, ‘Moral Truth - between Objectivism and Subjectivism’, in J. Fuchs, Christian Ethics in a Secular Arena, op. cit., 2941; and: ‘Hermeneutics in Ethics and Law: Points of Comparison’, ib. 4147 (German version in M. W. Fischer, E. Mock, H. Schreiner (eds.), Hermeneutik und Strukturtheorie des Rechts (ARSP, Beiheft Nr. 20), Wiesbaden 1984, 9–12). Cf. especially: K. Demmer, Sittlich handeln aus Verstehen. Strukturen hermeneutisch orientierter Fundamentalmoral, Düsseldorf 1980.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1987 D. Reidel Publishing Company
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Fuchs, J. (1987). The Phenomenon of Conscience: Subject-Orientation and Object-Orientation. In: Zecha, G., Weingartner, P. (eds) Conscience: An Interdisciplinary View. Theory and Decision Library, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3821-2_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3821-2_3
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8200-6
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-3821-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive