conscientia

Conscientia is a Latin term historically used to denote inner knowledge or moral awareness within a person. The word comes from con- “together/with” and scientia “knowledge,” and in classical and medieval Latin it generally referred to an inner sense of knowledge that judges actions and ascribes responsibility. In many Latin texts the term is translated as conscience.

In ancient and medieval philosophy, conscientia denotes the faculty or act of judging whether an action is right or wrong in the light of universal principles or divine law. Augustine of Hippo and, later, Thomas Aquinas treat conscience as the inner judge that apprises the will and guides or binds the will to moral obligation. Aquinas distinguishes between general moral principles (synderesis) and the particular judgment of consciences (conscientia) regarding a concrete act. The concept is closely tied to issues of moral responsibility, ignorance, and the interplay between reason and revelation.

In modern philosophical and theological usage, conscientia remains synonymous with conscience but is sometimes discussed as a psychological or normative faculty responsible for moral perception and judgment. The Latin term has also appeared in secular translations of philosophical and legal texts to render moral sense rather than mere factual awareness. In Latin literature, conscientia may also refer more broadly to self-knowledge or awareness of one’s actions, not always with a moral valence.

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