A state of being free from guilt or remorse, having done nothing morally wrong or having made amends for past mistakes.
This phrase combines 'clear' (meaning free from obstruction or guilt) with 'conscience,' appearing in English by the 16th century. It draws from the metaphor of conscience as something that can be clouded by wrongdoing or cleared by right action.
The concept of a 'clear conscience' appears remarkably consistently across cultures, suggesting it taps into universal aspects of human moral psychology. Interestingly, research shows that people with clear consciences actually sleep better and have lower stress hormones, providing measurable health benefits to moral behavior.
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