An inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.
Never do anything against conscience even if the state demands it.
- Albert Einstein
This quote describes the difference between morals and the law. If, as the definition above states, conscience is an inner feeling guiding us to what is right or wrong. Albert Einstein is saying that the inner feeling we have should have a stronger influence over our behavior than the law.
- "Just Lather, That's All" by Hernando Tellez (internal battle with his conscience)
- The story of Victor Jara
- My poem about Justice
The human voice can never reach the distance that is covered by the still small voice of conscience.
- Mahatma Ghandi
I believe this quote conveys the strength of our inner conscience. The 'human voice' could be a person of power, or a parent or a friend. But not one of those people can convince you of rightness or wrongness if your conscience disagrees. However, this must apply for everyone. A murderer could be committing these acts because their conscience is telling them to. We as humans would an incredibly difficult time swaying these people from the path their conscience tells them to travel down. Or on the other hand, the murderer's conscience isn't strong enough and they instead don't listen to it.
- "To his Conscience" by Robert Herrick (poem)
- Justice by Rita Joe
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent - Season 3, Episode 17: Conscience
You have selected a challenging and, what will prove to be, rewarding topic I think. The sources you selected are good. Consider using Edgar Allen Poe's "The Telltale Heart" as a piece of short fiction for your second quotation, and maybe some war poetry by Wilfred Owen (WWI) for your first quotation - as war is state delivered. Here is a link to one that might work: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/anthem-for-doomed-youth/
ReplyDelete"Tell Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe
ReplyDeletehttp://www.literature.org/authors/poe-edgar-allan/tell-tale-heart.html