從個體完整性探討生命的尊嚴－以失智症為例

A Discussion of the Dignity of life on the Basis of the Integrality as a Dementia Case

李素貞(Su-Chen Lee)

《弘光人文社會學報》 14期 (2011/05) Pp. 187-207

https://doi.org/10.29933/SHSS.201105.0008

摘要

高齡化社會的來臨，使得老年失智的人口也隨之增加，如何尊嚴的對待這些失智者，以提升其生活品質是很重要的倫理課題。本文首先探討在不同病程階段中失智者生命的最佳權益，包括關鍵權益與體驗權益之不同。其次從個體完整性的觀點，探討個體完整性對生命最佳權益的影響，論證對失智者而言，就是處於末期階段，其體驗權益與關鍵權益應受到同等的關注。尊重失智者患病之前的關鍵權益是承認其尊嚴的存在，但從接受與付出的倫理，若能接受他人的照顧與愛心的付出，那麼若是現時的體驗病人所表現為正向時，尊重其體驗權益也是維護其生命的尊嚴。

關鍵字

失智症 ； 個體完整性 ； 生命的尊嚴

並列摘要

With the coming of aging population in the society, the population of dementia became more numerous. This change has raised the attention of the ethical issue of how to treat the dementia patients, and at the same time, preserve their dignity, and also how to improve their life quality. In this article, the issue of how to preserve the right and benefit for dementia patients in different stages of the disease was firstly discussed, which included the differentiation of critical interests and experiential interests; then it was followed by the discussion of the individual integrality and its effect on the best right and property of life on the basis of the integrality as an individual. In conclusion, for patients who suffered from dementia, even at the end stage, same emphasis should be put on to both their critical interests and experiential interest. To respect the critical interests of these patients before they suffered from the disease is to certify their dignity. From the ethical point of view, however, if it is the case that a patient is able to receive the love and care from some other people, and react to be a positive feedback, then to respect the patient's experiential interests can be regarded as to respect his/her dignity of life.

並列關鍵字

dementia ； individual integrality ； dignity of life