耶穌會士每天作兩次的祈禱，名為「意識省察」。此一祈禱的目標，在開顯我們意識中的感官與料的本質和意義，藉追溯其源泉，分辨作用於我們意識的神類。仔細研究，發現此一祈禱的進行方式，與郎尼根認知理論中超驗規格所規定的運作完全一致，即經驗、理解、判斷、抉擇。四種超驗規格為：留心經驗、明智理解、合理判斷、負責任地抉擇。本文旨在開顯意識省察所預設的認知運作，進而嘗試證明郎尼根的認知理論，能作為意識省察的神學知識論及方法論基礎。

There is a form of prayers called the “examen of consciousness” practiced by members of the Society of Jesus twice daily. The prayer aims at unfolding the nature and meanings of sense data in our consciousness, tracing their sources, and, hence, discerning the spirits working in our consciousness. Upon careful examination, it is found that the prayer is proceeding in exactly the same way and according to the same transcendental precepts as described in Bernard Lonergan’s cognitional theory, namely, experiencing, understanding, judging, and deciding. The four transcendental precepts are: be attentive to experiences, be intelligent in understanding, be reasonable in judging, and be responsible in deciding. This essay aims at unfolding the cognitional operations presupposed in the examen of consciousness. Accordingly, I will try to prove that Lonergan’s cognitional theory can be used as the theological epistemology and methodology for the examen of consciousness.