Conscience vs. Thought — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 8, 2024
Conscience is an inner feeling acting as a guide to rightness or wrongness of one's behavior, while thought encompasses the mental process of considering or reasoning about something.
Difference Between Conscience and Thought
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Conscience is often described as an internal moral compass, guiding individuals in distinguishing between right and wrong based on moral principles, upbringing, and societal norms. It is inherently linked to an individual's ethical and moral beliefs and can provoke feelings of guilt or satisfaction depending on one's actions. Thought, on the other hand, is a broader term that refers to the cognitive process involved in forming ideas, opinions, judgments, and plans. It encompasses all aspects of mental activity, including reasoning, recalling, imagining, and problem-solving.
While conscience is specifically concerned with moral judgments and ethical considerations, thought covers a wide range of mental activities not limited to moral reasoning. Thoughts can be about anything and do not necessarily involve considerations of morality or ethics. They can be factual, creative, abstract, or practical. Conscience, whereas, is always related to the personal sense of right and wrong and is often associated with feelings of guilt or moral obligation.
Conscience can influence thoughts, especially when an individual is contemplating actions with moral implications. In such cases, the conscience can guide thoughts towards ethical considerations, influencing decision-making processes. Conversely, thoughts can inform and shape one's conscience, as the act of thinking deeply about moral principles and ethical dilemmas can lead to a refined or altered sense of morality.
In terms of development, both conscience and thought evolve over time. A person's conscience develops and changes with new experiences, education, and exposure to different cultural or moral frameworks. Similarly, the capacity for thought and the complexity of thought processes develop with age, education, and experiences, reflecting changes in cognitive abilities and knowledge base.
While conscience serves as a guide for moral behavior and ethical decision-making, thoughts encompass the entirety of mental processes, including but not limited to moral reasoning. The relationship between conscience and thought is dynamic, with each influencing and shaping the other in the context of personal development and decision-making.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Inner sense of right and wrong.
Mental process of considering or reasoning.
Focus
Moral and ethical judgments.
Broad range of mental activities.
Associated with
Feelings of guilt or satisfaction.
Ideas, judgments, plans, memories.
Role
Guides moral behavior.
Facilitates cognition and problem-solving.
Development
Evolves with moral understanding.
Grows with cognitive development and experiences.
Compare with Definitions
Conscience
An inner feeling acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.
Her conscience wouldn't allow her to keep the lost wallet without attempting to find its owner.
Thought
An idea, plan, opinion, or picture formed in the mind.
The thought of moving to a new city excited him.
Conscience
A source of moral or ethical judgment or pronouncement.
His conscience told him that lying was wrong, regardless of the situation.
Thought
The act or system of thinking.
His thought process was meticulous and detailed.
Conscience
The part of the mind that makes you aware of your actions as being morally right or wrong.
Her conscience was clear because she had done nothing wrong.
Thought
The action or process of thinking.
She was lost in thought and didn’t hear the doorbell.
Conscience
A reflection of one's inner moral compass.
After the discussion, he examined his conscience and realized his mistake.
Thought
Consideration, attention, or care.
She appreciated the thought he put into choosing the gift.
Conscience
A personal sense of the moral content of one’s own conduct.
He acted in accordance with his conscience and stood up for what was right.
Thought
Mental intention or expectation.
His sudden visit was beyond my wildest thoughts.
Conscience
Conscience is a cognitive process that elicits emotion and rational associations based on an individual's moral philosophy or value system. Conscience stands in contrast to elicited emotion or thought due to associations based on immediate sensory perceptions and reflexive responses, as in sympathetic central nervous system responses.
Thought
Thought (or thinking) encompasses a flow of ideas and associations that can lead to logical conclusions. Although thinking is an activity of an existential value for humans, there is still no consensus as to how it is adequately defined or understood.
Conscience
A person's moral sense of right and wrong, viewed as acting as a guide to one's behaviour
He had a guilty conscience about his desires
Ben was suffering a pang of conscience
Thought
Past tense and past participle of think.
Conscience
An awareness of morality in regard to one's behavior; a sense of right and wrong that urges one to act morally
Let your conscience be your guide.
Thought
The process of thinking; cogitation
Sitting deep in thought at the computer.
Conscience
A source of moral or ethical judgment or pronouncement
A document that serves as the nation's conscience.
Thought
A product of thinking or other mental activity
What are your thoughts on this matter?.
Conscience
Conformity to one's own sense of right conduct
A person of unflagging conscience.
Thought
The faculty of thinking or reasoning
Why not use thought instead of emotion to solve the problem?.
Conscience
The part of the superego in psychoanalysis that judges the ethical nature of one's actions and thoughts and then transmits such determinations to the ego for consideration.
Thought
The intellectual activity or production of a particular time or group
Ancient Greek thought.
Deconstructionist thought.
Conscience
(Obsolete) Consciousness or awareness of something.
Thought
Consideration; attention
Didn't give much thought to what she said.
Conscience
The moral sense of right and wrong, chiefly as it affects a person’s own behaviour and forms their attitude to their past actions.
Your conscience is your highest authority.
Thought
Intention; purpose
My thought is to live in a house on a lake.
Conscience
A personification of the moral sense of right and wrong, usually in the form of a person, a being or merely a voice that gives moral lessons and advices.
Thought
Expectation or conception
She had no thought that anything was wrong.
Conscience
(obsolete) Consciousness; thinking; awareness, especially self-awareness.
Thought
(countable) Representation created in the mind without the use of one's faculties of vision, sound, smell, touch, or taste; an instance of thinking.
The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.
Conscience
Knowledge of one's own thoughts or actions; consciousness.
The sweetest cordial we receive, at last,Is conscience of our virtuous actions past.
Thought
(uncountable) The operation by which mental activity arise or are manipulated; the process of thinking; the agency by which thinking is accomplished.
Without freedom of thought there can be no such thing as wisdom, and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech.
Conscience
The faculty, power, or inward principle which decides as to the character of one's own actions, purposes, and affections, warning against and condemning that which is wrong, and approving and prompting to that which is right; the moral faculty passing judgment on one's self; the moral sense.
My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,And every tongue brings in a several tale,And every tale condemns me for a villain.
As science means knowledge, conscience etymologically means self-knowledge . . . But the English word implies a moral standard of action in the mind as well as a consciousness of our own actions. . . . Conscience is the reason, employed about questions of right and wrong, and accompanied with the sentiments of approbation and condemnation.
Thought
(uncountable) A way of thinking (associated with a group, nation or region).
Traditional eastern thought differs markedly from that of the west.
Conscience
The estimate or determination of conscience; conviction or right or duty.
Conscience supposes the existence of some such [i.e., moral] faculty, and properly signifies our consciousness of having acted agreeably or contrary to its directions.
Thought
Anxiety, distress.
Conscience
Tenderness of feeling; pity.
Thought
(uncountable) The careful consideration of multiple factors; deliberation.
After much thought, I have decided to stay.
Conscience
Motivation deriving logically from ethical or moral principles that govern a person's thoughts and actions
Thought
A very small amount, distance, etc.; a whit or jot.
Conscience
Conformity to one's own sense of right conduct;
A person of unflagging conscience
Thought
Simple past tense and past participle of think
Conscience
A feeling of shame when you do something immoral;
He has no conscience about his cruelty
Thought
The act of thinking; the exercise of the mind in any of its higher forms; reflection; cogitation.
Thought can not be superadded to matter, so as in any sense to render it true that matter can become cogitative.
Thought
Meditation; serious consideration.
Pride, of all others the most dangerous fault,Proceeds from want of sense or want of thought.
Thought
That which is thought; an idea; a mental conception, whether an opinion, judgment, fancy, purpose, or intention.
Thus Bethel spoke, who always speaks his thought.
Why do you keep alone, . . . Using those thoughts which should indeed have diedWith them they think on?
Thoughts come crowding in so fast upon me, that my only difficulty is to choose or to reject.
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
Thought
Solicitude; anxious care; concern.
Hawis was put in trouble, and died with thought and anguish before his business came to an end.
Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink.
Thought
A small degree or quantity; a trifle; as, a thought longer; a thought better.
If the hair were a thought browner.
This [faculty], to which I gave the name of the "elaborative faculty," - the faculty of relations or comparison, - constitutes what is properly denominated thought.
Thought
The content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about;
It was not a good idea
The thought never entered my mind
Thought
The process of thinking (especially thinking carefully);
Thinking always made him frown
She paused for thought
Thought
The organized beliefs of a period or group or individual;
19th century thought
Darwinian thought
Thought
A personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty;
My opinion differs from yours
What are your thoughts on Haiti?
Common Curiosities
How do conscience and thought influence decision-making?
Conscience influences decision-making by providing a moral framework to evaluate the rightness or wrongness of actions, while thought processes enable the consideration of various factors, options, and consequences.
Is it possible for thoughts to conflict with conscience?
Yes, it’s possible for thoughts to conflict with conscience, especially when contemplating actions that may be rationalized mentally but feel wrong ethically.
Can a person's conscience change over time?
Yes, a person’s conscience can change over time as they encounter new experiences, learn new information, and potentially reassess their moral and ethical beliefs.
What is the primary function of conscience?
The primary function of conscience is to guide individuals in distinguishing right from wrong, acting as an inner moral compass.
Can thoughts be independent of conscience?
Yes, thoughts can be independent of conscience, as they encompass a broad range of mental activities not necessarily related to moral or ethical judgments.
How does one's conscience develop?
One’s conscience develops through a combination of factors including upbringing, personal experiences, education, and cultural influences, which shape one’s sense of morality.
Is conscience always a reliable guide?
While conscience aims to guide towards moral behavior, its reliability can vary based on individual moral understanding and the influence of external factors.
What role do thoughts play in shaping one's conscience?
Thoughts play a crucial role in shaping one's conscience by allowing for the reflection on moral principles, ethical dilemmas, and the consequences of actions, thereby influencing one's moral development.
How do cultural differences affect conscience and thought?
Cultural differences can significantly affect both conscience and thought by providing diverse moral guidelines, ethical norms, and cognitive frameworks.
Can thinking deeply about ethical dilemmas refine one’s conscience?
Yes, thinking deeply about ethical dilemmas can refine one’s conscience by challenging and expanding one’s understanding of morality and ethics.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
