Is Conscience Best Understood as a Particular Form of Consciousness? Theological and Ethical Reflections Inspired by the Phenomenology of Maurice Merleau-Ponty

Since its emergence after the Council of Trent, moral theology as a discipline has had an intimate but problematical relationship with philosophy. It is not rare, even today, to hear or read theologians expounding their views no explicit acknowledgement importance philosophical terms and theories they use in formulation positions. All this would seem be particularly case term that gradually become quite central theological discourse: conscience. The purpose article suggest phenomenology, relatively new profoundly revolutionary branch philosophy, indispensable resource for reflection on In particular it will argued thought Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1908–1961) constitutes profound -unintentional- critique traditional conceptions conscience simply cannot ignored (as normally is!) contemporary discussions theme. What follows, then, divides into four sections: first vision conscience; second consciousness Merleau-Ponty; third form consciousness; fourth potential contribution line ethics fundamental theology.