Conscience And Awareness: What’s The Difference Between Them?

Many believe that conscience and consciousness mean the same thing, but in reality this is not the case. First, conscience is what helps to distinguish right from wrong. Consciousness, in turn, refers to consciousness.

Molecular biologist and Nobel Prize-winning Francis Crick used to say that while it is necessary to be able to distinguish between different dimensions, our attempts to define them are always incomplete for us because they are very complex.

In addition, we may find ourselves in ambiguous situations that can lead to major misunderstandings. While it may seem that writers are always confident in what they publish, in reality, they are not immune to mistakes either. Thus, it is not unusual to see writers confuse terms in their texts, which is why it is important to be able to distinguish between the two terms.

Let us now consider the nuances and characteristics associated with both concepts.

Conscience and awareness: qualities and special features

If we had to use a general definition to distinguish conscience from consciousness, it would be as follows: your consciousness allows you to be a part of a given reality. It allows you to detect every nuance, stimulus and internal process. This is different from conscience, which allows you to behave in a morally and socially acceptable way.

As you read this, you might think that these two terms are quite easy to distinguish. But it all depends on the context in which you use these terms. Remember that conscience and consciousness are quite subjective concepts, meaning that their true meaning usually depends on what the speaker is trying to express.

What is conscience?

Mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal said our conscience is our best possible moral book. And he wasn’t wrong. This concept refers to people’s ability to know which actions, thoughts, and words are right and which are not. It allows us to distinguish right from wrong and thus make choices.

• Conscience is in no way related to processes such as attention or perception.
• In the old days, philosophers like Descartes and Locke tried to understand how it was related to things like language, thought processes, and intellect. It must also be remembered that one of the most notable differences between conscience and consciousness is that these philosophers regarded the former as a “virtue”.

• So when we say that someone has a “sensitive conscience,” we are referring to his or her strong moral values. We see him as an individual who lives his life according to virtues such as respect and balance. In addition, we sometimes say that animals seem to have a “conscience” because they perform moral and “social” acts (so to speak) that evoke human virtues.

What is consciousness?

Awareness encompasses much more than being awake and aware of the environment. William James, the father of American psychology, was one of the first writers to deal with the differences between conscience and consciousness. As a philosopher, psychologist, and scientist, he defined consciousness through the following features:

• Consciousness is subjective. It has nothing to do with ethics or morality. It is a personal process that makes people aware of their thoughts and inner reality.

• It has to do with thinking, which is why it is constantly changing. Basically, it is an ever-moving continuum, as it always processes information and pays attention to stimuli.
• Awareness can also be selective. An individual can focus on only one side (internal or external) at a given time to distinguish it from other stimuli.

Consciousness is a mystery

The German-American neuroscientist Christof Koch is a leading expert in the study of consciousness and the underlying neurological factors. For example, in his book The Quest for Conscience: A Neurobiological Approach, he shows that the main difference between conscience and consciousness is that the latter is still a mystery, while the former is related to a sense of responsibility.

Koch, for his part, shows that there are two kinds of consciousness that must be taken into account:

• Primary Consciousness: This relates to perception, feelings, memory, thoughts, dreams, and desires. All of this allows you to separate yourself from the environment and build your own individuality.
• Reflective Consciousness: This refers to “observing your own mind,” knowing what you are, what you know, and what is happening in your inner being.

In summary, conscience and awareness are both complex and interesting concepts. We can safely say that they basically make us human. Thomas Henry Huxley once said that these two entities make us “aware” that we are more than just bone, muscle, cells, and skin.