Philosophy

Accuracy of Human Conscience Thoreau’s certainty about the accuracy of the human conscience is supported by the fact that man is a rational being. Reason or the ability to discern what is right and wrong is enough for Thoreau or anybody to know and be confident that what he is doing is right. It cannot be tempered by any external variable that is why it is reliable. It is not fickle and does not occur as a result of emotional processes or whimsical desires. It exists along with human cognition and is a natural faculty and not some acquired ability that can be enhanced or modified. The above explanation is the reason why it is possible for a person to know for certain that what he is doing is morally correct. This is true if we view morality through the criteria required by reason and not from the point of view of religion or culture. Reason and conscience are universal concepts and they allow people to clearly understand and feel that there are some acts that are inherently good regardless of the perspective one is coming from. For instance, harming another person or killing him without any valid or justifiable reason is immoral. No one can dispute that, the case is as clear to any human being capable of thinking. It does not take a complicated analysis to know whether one has committed goodness or a moral act. If one helped a person in need, who in his right mind would suggest the possibility that it could be immoral? This is especially true as the person helping knows his motivations and intents. Morality maybe a concept and some may argue that it could be difficult to quantify or exactly prove. However, it is real as much as happiness is or love, anger and grief. One cannot hold them and say, there is nothing here so it may be it is true to you but not for me or I cannot see it, therefore, it might not exist. These concepts, though intangible, exist as truths in themselves and nobody can dispute them. If one cannot be sure about the accuracy of his conscience, then he is not a person but an animal, one who cannot distinguish good from evil.