Question: Why and how do we have a conscience?

Heather Eyre answered on 24 Jun 2013:

A conscience, as in the ability to feel guilt? Or consciousness the awareness?

Conscience is based on learned behaviors, so morals are really important for a conscience and depending on where you learn your right and wrongs from (and what is socially acceptable) will affect what makes you feel guilt. How you tell right from wrong and is really important in for any social species, but considerate behaviour is often called altruistic (self-sacrificial, putting others first) and not beneficial to the individual. But there is evidence that being nice is good for you – doing something good for someone else is good for your mood!

Can you imagine a world where no one cared about anyone but themselves?

There are cases of head injuries where people have lost their conscience – and it is usually linked to the front part of the brain (the pre-frontal cortex) and is closely linked with personality and your ability to moderate behaviours!