(Conscience and freedom of conscience: An analysis of conflicts of conscience in Swedish society and of the concepts of conscience)
Mats Alden
Abstract
This thesis has several aims which are related in various ways. The first task is to study conflicts of conscience in Swedish society. In this type of conflict, the terms conscience and freedom of conscience are central terms. Thus it is vital that they are understood and related to when analyzing the conflicts themselves. The second task is therefore to study and come to grips with the term conscience, suggest a definition, and then apply the various ways of understanding conscience to the conflicts of conscience in order to answer the question of whether or not an individual should follow his or her conscience. The third task is to study the term freedom of conscience and provide a definition. In addition, a typology is provided and applied to the conflicts of conscience studied in order to answer the question of whether or not there is ample freedom to follow one’s conscience. Finally, I take a stand for one of the types in the typology. The first task is undertaken in Chapter 2, the second task comprises Chapter 3 and the third task, Chapter 4.
Alden M. (Thesis) Samvete och samvetsfrihet: En analys av samvetskonflikter i det svenska samhället och av begreppen samvete och samvetsfrihet (Conscience and freedom of conscience: An analysis of conflicts of conscience in Swedish society and of the concepts of conscience. Lund University, Sweden. 2002;5-215.