Conscience And Awareness: Are They The Same?

Many people believe that conscience and consciousness are the same, but it could not be further from the truth. Both concepts, especially in English (consciousness and consciousness), confuse people around the world,  especially those who are interested in the subject. First and foremost, conscience is what helps us to distinguish right from wrong. On the other hand, consciousness refers to a state of consciousness.

Molecular biologist and Nobel laureate Francis Crick used to say that although it is necessary to know how to distinguish one dimension from another, in reality we will always fall short when we try to define them, because they are very complex.

Furthermore, we may find ourselves in somewhat ambiguous situations that can lead to major misunderstandings. While it may seem that writers are always aware of what they are publishing, the truth is that they are not exempt from making mistakes. With that said, it is not uncommon to see authors confusing concepts in their texts, which is why it is so important to distinguish between these concepts.

Let’s take a look at the nuances and peculiarities that define each of these dimensions below.

Conscience and awareness: Characteristics and peculiarities

If we had to use a basic and general definition to separate conscience from consciousness, it would be the following: Your consciousness allows you to be part of a particular reality. It is the one that helps you perceive every nuance, stimulus, and internal process. This is different from conscience, which is what allows you to behave in a moral and acceptable way.

By reading this, some of you may think that it seems easy to distinguish between these terms. However, it all depends on the context in which you use one of the terms. Remember that conscience and consciousness are  very subjective concepts,  which means that their real meaning depends on what the speaker is trying to express.

What is conscience?

Mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal said that our conscience is the best moral book we can ever own. Believe us when we see that he was not wrong. This dimension refers to the ability of people to  be aware of their actions, thoughts and expressions. Furthermore, it is what allows us to distinguish right from wrong, so that we can make our own choices.

• Our conscience has nothing to do with processes such as attention or perception.
• In the past, philosophers like Descartes and Locke tried to understand how it related to language, thought processes, and intelligence, for example. We must also keep in mind that one of the most noticeable differences between conscience and consciousness is that these philosophers saw the former as a “virtue.”

• Thus, when we say that someone “has a good conscience”, we are referring to the fact that they have strong moral values. We see them as individuals who live life according to virtues such as respect and balance. In addition, we also sometimes say that animals show “conscience” themselves, because in a way they perform moral or “social” actions that remind us of human virtues.

What is consciousness?

Our consciousness represents more than just being fully awake or being aware of the reality that surrounds us. The father of American psychology, William James, was one of the first authors to address the difference between conscience and consciousness. As a philosopher, psychologist and researcher, he defined consciousness as through a number of characteristics:

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

• It is related to thoughts, which is why it is always in constant change. Basically, it is a continuum that never stops, as it always processes information and takes care of stimuli.
• Similarly, consciousness can also be selective. At a given moment, an individual can focus on an aspect (internal or external) to separate it from other stimuli.

Consciousness is a mystery

The German-American neuroscientist Christof Koch is a leading expert in the study of consciousness and its neural foundations. In books such as The Quest for Conscience: A Neurobiological Approach, he points out 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.

For his part, Koch points out that there are two types of consciousness that we must take into account:

• Primary consciousness:  It has to do with perception, sensations, memory, thoughts, dreams and desires. All this allows you to separate yourself from what surrounds you, and thus build your individuality.
• Reflexive consciousness: It refers to “observing one’s own mind”, knowing what you are, what you know, and what is happening in your inner being.

To conclude, conscience and consciousness are as complex as they are interesting. One can safely say that they are basically what makes us human. Thomas Henry Huxley said in the past that these are the devices that make us “aware” that we are something more than bones, muscles, cells and skin.