Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31823/d.27.4.2
Conscience as God’s Gift to Man in the Context of the Culture of Life
Suzana Vuletić
orcid.org/0000-0002-5629-6635
; Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek
Abstract
Conscience plays a major role in the moral observance of our personal, religious and professional lives. Being conscientious in the gifted freedom of action and moral responsibility of committing to act rightly in a conformist society with prevailing pluralistic bio/ethical beliefs, exposes us to many existential struggles to persevere in this conscientious conduct. This is especially evident in the application of numerous scientific advances in clinical practice, which opens a space for conflicting situations, by participating in scientific research, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and interventions that are not in line with the moral conscience of the individual, where pragmatic goals conflict with medical ethics, the protection of human rights and dignity of life, which consequently requires: the preservation of conscientious commitment, the appeal of conscience. For the appeal of conscience to be morally grounded, it is necessary to become more familiar with the etymological and moral definition of conscience in the context of theological doctrine, to respect bio-legal determinants in ethical and professional principles that affirm the freedom of thought, conscience and religion as fundamental human rights, guaranteed by international documents and codes of medical ethics and deontology. Their joint initiatives support the moral responsibility of conscientious conduct which requires respect for the dignity, inviolability and sanctity of human life, which are particularly prominent in the perspective of Christian anthropology, moral theology and personalistic bioethics.
Keywords
conscience; natural law; formation of conscience; appeal of conscience; Christian anthropology; moral theology; personalistic bioethics; dignity; value/inviolability/sanctity of life
Hrčak ID:
231027
URI
Publication date:
24.12.2019.
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