Conscience

DreadDread Join Date: 2002-07-24 Member: 993Members
<div class="IPBDescription">semi-serious discussion</div> I miss a good discussion so...

I've been thinking about this conscience thing and I've come to conclusion that you have a bad conscience only if you are in danger of getting caught. I mean for example good thieves don't have a problem with their conscience because they know they are not going to get caught. On the other hand if you break something that belongs to someone else, you get a bad conscience because you know you are probably going to get punished. So basically peoples conscience is not a thing that says "You did bad, you should regret it and pay for your crime" but more like "You moron did bad, now you are going to get caught and punished. Quickly cover your tracks!"

Ehh, well discuss <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->

PS. I know this isn't the new discussions forums but I think we can still have some conversations and even debates as long as they don't offend anyones beliefs/country. Though mods might want to stay close in case things start to get heavy.

Comments

  • CplDavisCplDavis I hunt the arctic Snonos Join Date: 2003-01-09 Member: 12097Members
    edited June 2003
    <!--QuoteBegin--Jobabob+Jun 2 2003, 12:01 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Jobabob @ Jun 2 2003, 12:01 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> monse said all discussions will be nuked with extreme prejudice

    just fyi..
    <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I think this is more off topic. I think what Monse (correct me if im wrong) ment was more about getting rid of all those politics/religion/imbetter then you debate type threads. I dont see anything wrong with this. This is more like that time travel thread.
  • DreadDread Join Date: 2002-07-24 Member: 993Members
    edited June 2003
    <!--QuoteBegin--Jobabob+Jun 2 2003, 05:01 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Jobabob @ Jun 2 2003, 05:01 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> monse said all discussions will be nuked with extreme prejudice <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    He did?

    *runs to check*

    <!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Forum closed until after 1.1 release, or more likely forever. It is now read-only. Attempts to use the off-topic section as a discussion forum will result in moderator wrath.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Oh crap...RUN TO THE HILLS!

    Well this isn't discussion, it's...offtopic?

    *runs to the hills and hopes mods are slower*

    Seriously though, I think Davis is right. Though I'm eagerly waiting what the High Moderator Council decides.
  • MoquiaoMoquiao Join Date: 2003-05-09 Member: 16168Members
    i think conscience is exactly as you said... if you get away scot free you dont care honestly.. but if you say... went to steal cookies!! from the cookie jar (bad example but meh.)


    1.you go in to look your safe so you go to the jar open it quietly and get cookies then you get away clean and nobody knows any different...
    do you now feel bad?

    2, yu go in to look your safe so you go to the jar open it quietly and get cookies.. but the jar falls and smashes into lots of pieces on the floor... you run up to your room fast....

    do you NOW feel bad?
  • Nil_IQNil_IQ Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15520Members
    But if you got caught stealing the cookies once and you go to steal them again, that little voice called concience says:

    "O.k, you got caught last time, so what makes you think you're not going to get caught this time idiot??"

    And so you don't do it.

    I'm not arguing with your point that concience is only bad, as that example kinda proves your point <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • pardzhpardzh Join Date: 2002-10-25 Member: 1601Members
    I don't agree with your saying that only if you're going to get caught you feel your consience.

    For instance, if you've never, <i>ever</i> stolen anything in your life, and you just suddenly get an urge to steal, you might do it. If you do, you're either going to walk away thinking: "Gee, that was easy, guess I'll do that again sometime", or "Oh crap, I feel terrible about doing that, I'll never do it again". The second one would show your having a consience.
  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
    edited June 2003
    In my opinion, It doesnt exist. It is just <b>societies</b> view on how you should act, you've been taught stealing is bad, therefore you feel bad for doing it. The children who grow up in families that teach that stealing is hey, you know, good, they dont care because they dont know different. And who's to say who's right?

    I prefer NS to this, but im SOOOO bored. Hope "the man" dont get me <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> rofl
  • dr_ddr_d Join Date: 2003-03-28 Member: 14979Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--X_Stickman+Jun 2 2003, 02:16 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (X_Stickman @ Jun 2 2003, 02:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> In my opinion, It doesnt exist. It is just <b>societies</b> view on how you should act, you've been taught stealing is bad, therefore you feel bad for doing it. The children who grow up in families that teach that stealing is hey, you know, good, they dont care because they dont know different. And who's to say who's right?

    I prefer NS to this, but im SOOOO bored. Hope "the man" dont get me <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> rofl <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    It's been proving that a high precentage of people around the world have remorse for causing physical harm to some one but only a small precentage feel bad about stealing something. Go figure.

    Oh and the reason I quoted you is that remorse is a human emotion it's not a social thing like say morality.
  • CForresterCForrester P0rk(h0p Join Date: 2002-10-05 Member: 1439Members, Constellation
    I don't think you only feel your conscience if you get caught. I've stolen before. I felt bad doing it. Why? Because I've had things stolen from me before, and I hate the feeling of losing something important to you.
  • LegionnairedLegionnaired Join Date: 2002-04-30 Member: 552Members, Constellation
    edited June 2003
    I have to disagree. Humans are conditioned to act morally decently to other humans. Either by evolution or by divine design. If God created us, then he created us in His image, and He is a God of patience and love, thus, we at least have some threads of that sewn through the tangled tapertry that is our personality. Thus, we feel bad when we betray that.

    If you want to go the evolutionary route, it makes perfect sense that a species that works together survives together. Sure, if Groog were to steal Oog's mammoth meat, then Groog might survive a bit longer, but what happens when everyone looks out for themselves and needs the rest of the herd/group/tribe to help take down that mammoth. So, the group that eats what is given to them and works together to eat again the next day lives in the end.
  • AhnteisAhnteis teh Bob Join Date: 2002-10-02 Member: 1405Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    conscience and fear of getting caught are two completely different motivators.
  • InsaneInsane Anomaly Join Date: 2002-05-13 Member: 605Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
    No, I completely disagree that you only have attacks of concience when you are afear'd of getting caught. I've had my concience grab my neck many a time when fear of being caught had nothing to do with it.
  • DreadDread Join Date: 2002-07-24 Member: 993Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Legionnaired+Jun 2 2003, 07:27 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Legionnaired @ Jun 2 2003, 07:27 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> If you want to go the evolutionary route, it makes perfect sense that a species that works together survives together. Sure, if Groog were to steal Oog's mammoth meat, then Groog might survive a bit longer, but what happens when everyone looks out for themselves and needs the rest of the herd/group/tribe to help take down that mammoth. So, the group that eats what is given to them and works together to eat again the next day lives in the end. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Survival of the fittest. Weak will fall preserving the strong ones. That sounds more logical to me, at least I've seen thousand times spider eat other spider and same species killing/taking advantage of their kind.

    Duff-Man<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->For instance, if you've never, ever stolen anything in your life, and you just suddenly get an urge to steal, you might do it. If you do, you're either going to walk away thinking: "Gee, that was easy, guess I'll do that again sometime", or "Oh crap, I feel terrible about doing that, I'll never do it again". The second one would show your having a consience. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I think you feel the later only if you still think you are going to get caught somehow. However, if you are in the middle of desert and you find 100dollars, do you feel bad taking them? Why not? Because there is no risk of getting caught.
  • lady_lazaruslady_lazarus Join Date: 2003-06-02 Member: 16947Members
    your conscience is when you feel bad, even if theres no chance in hell of you being caught..and those of you who only feel bad when theres a chance of getting caught. well. you're just heartless and are condemned to eternal damnation. *evil laugh which builds up to a crescendo before gently fading away*
  • BadKarmaBadKarma The Advanced Literature monsters burned my house and gave me a 7 Join Date: 2002-11-12 Member: 8260Members
    I enjoy hunting so theres quite a few people who would argue I have no concience at all.
  • HawkeyeHawkeye Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1855Members
    Food for thought:

    People who are completely good and people are completely evil don't have trouble with their conscience. What they do they do with complete confidence and without guilt. Conscience only affects those who are a mix between good and evil. The struggle between good and evil produces the side effect called guilt.

    Which makes you wonder.. if you strived to be completely good or completely evil.. you wouldn't have to ever feel guilty again.
  • CForresterCForrester P0rk(h0p Join Date: 2002-10-05 Member: 1439Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin--BadKarma+Jun 2 2003, 08:10 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (BadKarma @ Jun 2 2003, 08:10 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I enjoy hunting so theres quite a few people who would argue I have no concience at all. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    It's not that you have no concience, it's that you don't mind slaughtering animals.
  • LegionnairedLegionnaired Join Date: 2002-04-30 Member: 552Members, Constellation
    edited June 2003
    Dread, one could be the fittest by being humble, or, relizing they are weak but the group is strong, and that they can become more successful and survivable having a group interaction that only comes with a consience. It's a weak argument, because it's a theory based on a theory, which is why I prefer the one that's tied in with creationism.

    ... But that's another debate... <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • 0blique0blique Join Date: 2003-05-18 Member: 16477Members
    I tend to disagree with the original post.

    If you do something "bad", and begin to worry about getting caught, that seems to me to be more like anxiety. You become worried that you'll get caught, but you don't really feel bad about it.

    The "conscience", on the other hand, makes you feel bad regardless of how likely it is you're going to get caught. It more or less comes from a moral standard that is present in your life. You feel bad because something inside you knows that what you've done is "wrong".

    If you were to do something bad, you might feel a little bit of both. But really, only the first increases in strength with a greater risk of getting caught.
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