Philosophy of Everything

Conscience

Conscience. What is it? Some say that conscience, the inner voice of man's soul, is his own creation and therefore he can control it at his will; others believe in an eternal divine power that has put this ability in man so that everyone knows what the right thing to do is. But both are mistaken because they do not know how to distinguish between natural things and those created by God. For if we compare ourselves with other animals as far as our senses or even our intellect is concerned, we can clearly see that no creature has a more developed sense than ours; for example, there are those who claim that bees have a mind. Yet these creatures have only a very limited understanding compared to us, for they cannot recognize people or objects when they encounter them after an absence of many days. Even wild animals would be better able to judge men and women if they had more observation. In fact, however, all animals seem to have a common opinion on such matters, although their opinions differ greatly from one another. For example, a wolf thinks it is best to eat its prey, while a lion prefers to slaughter a horse. A bird kills a worm before eating it, while another, taking a large piece of meat, devours several small ones at once. There is no doubt that all living creatures have similar feelings about food. It follows that man differs from other animals in that he knows himself more clearly and is more aware of whether or not his actions correspond to his true character. This means that each person is responsible for his own actions, whereas other creatures are guided solely by instincts. Moreover, he alone can judge what evil is and against whom it may be directed.Since we are human beings and live in society, each person must watch over his actions so as not to bring shame upon himself and thereby endanger his fellows. The danger is not only that one cannot act virtuously, but also that one does wrong. If you are caught stealing, don't think that no one will ever know of your crime because everyone else is doing the same thing. Rather, fear the punishment for doing wrong. After all, in the community of thieves, everyone feels uneasy when someone goes unpunished. That is why if a thief commits murder or attempts to steal, he dare not return home until he is punished by hanging. We must never forget that most crimes are committed either out of ignorance or because people lack the courage to act as they should. Indeed, if all people were wise enough to do good deeds, no one would need religion. However, even though we have the ability to avoid sin through right behavior, we often do not realize it. Until we know what virtue is, we risk becoming worse than those poor souls who seek salvation by entering monasteries, where they become accustomed to seclusion and fasting. Only later do they learn that virtue requires moderation and self-control, not asceticism. Nevertheless, one must begin by studying and training the body so that one becomes strong and healthy, not like those monks who spend all their lives in prayer and meditation, eating nothing. To make sure that we understand what virtue is, let me quote Cicero: "To become virtuous, you must first become acquainted with vice. "To acquire virtue, you must train your mind to reject impure desires and love pure ones. You must give up bad habits and learn new ones. Then, when you know what virtues consist in, you will be able to recognize them easily. Also, if you practice chastity, constancy and abstinence, you will gradually gain strength and health. As your stomach becomes full, you will no longer feel hunger, and if you continue to exercise regularly, your muscles will soon become strong and firm. Likewise, if you drink in moderation, you will not become intoxicated. However, if you get too intoxicated, you will eventually get fat and sick. Finally, if you remain chaste, sober and moderate, you will become softer and gentler in speech and manners. Thus, by exercising restraint, you will be able to overcome anger, sadness, and envy. When you are angry, remember that not long ago you were just as happy as everyone else. After all, there was nothing stopping you from enjoying your meal today. If you're sad, try to remember how many times you laughed yesterday. Or maybe you were singing a song. If you find it hard to be happy or laugh, smile and speak kindly to those around you. Remember that you can always put off some business if you put it off until tomorrow. Keep your promises and pay your debts on time. Be generous to strangers and responsive to friends. Do not neglect charity, kindness and mercy. By observing these rules, you will become less harsh and rigid over time. Moreover, by practicing fairness and equality, you will help your neighbors and improve relationships between people.If you want to be a good citizen, don't think you can do everything perfectly. No one is perfect, but even a little kindness is enough to make life worth living.