Conscience & individual responsibility
Who
A core moral idea rooted in the Hebrew Bible and Jewish tradition; not the work of a single inventor.
When
Antiquity (biblical era)
Where
Ancient Israel / the Land of Israel
The idea that each person is individually answerable for their own moral choices is powerfully expressed in the Hebrew Bible, notably in the prophet Ezekiel's teaching that a child does not bear a parent's guilt (Ezekiel 18). This biblical emphasis on personal conscience and responsibility deeply shaped later Western ethical and legal thought.
Sources
Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.