從康德的自律原則探討醫助自殺與死亡尊嚴

A Reflection of the Physician- Assisted Suicide and Dignity of Dying from Kant’s Principle of Autonomy

李素貞(Su-Chen Lee)

《弘光學報》 58期 (2010/03) Pp. 115-125

https://doi.org/10.6615/HAR.201003.58.09

摘要

本文主要從康德自律原則的觀點，探討醫助自殺的道德性，論證醫助自殺不全然是非理性，喪失尊嚴的。從康德的自律原則，自殺是要被譴責的。自殺是把人只當成工具，不當成目的。以自主性為基礎的思考下，學者對醫助自殺的道德性不管贊成或反對，強調的都是維護人性的尊嚴。康德認為自殺否定了人的內在價值和尊嚴，但有學者指出，在某些情況下，醫助自殺構成了死亡的尊嚴。所以從尊嚴死的觀點，醫助自殺是某些病人可能的另一種選擇。

關鍵字

醫助自殺 ； 尊嚴死 ； 自律

並列摘要

This article discussed about the moral issue of physician- assisted suicide (PAS) from the point of view of Kant’s autonomy principle, and to argued that PAS was not completely irrational and undignified. From the point of view of Kant’s autonomy principle, suicide needs to be condemned. According to Kant's autonomy principle, commit suicide is regarded as a mean, instead of being as an end. However, based on the thought of autonomy, no matter whether objected or agreed to PAS, the scholars all pointed their emphasis on the defense of human dignity. For the arguing advocated by Kant that suicide had denied the human inherent value and dignity, some scholars pointed out that in certain circumstances, PAS could help to defense the dignity of death. In conclusion, PAS can be another choice for some particular patients when it comes to the point of dignity of dying.

並列關鍵字

physician- assisted suicide ； dignity of dying ； autonomy

參考文獻

Beauchamp, Tom L. & Childress, James F. (2001), Principles of biomedical ethics. (fifth edition) Oxford University Press.

Beauchamp, Tom L. &Walters, Le Roy. (2003), Contemporary issues in bioethics. (sixth edition)Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc.

Backer, Barbara A. /Hannon, Natalie R. /Russell, Noreen A. (1994), Death and Dying-understanding and care, 2nd ed. Albany, N.Y. :Delmar.

La Follette, Hugh. (2000), Ethics in Practice-An Anthology. Blackwell Publishers Inc.

Kant, Immanuel(1964), Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals , translated and analysed by H. J. Paton. Harper & Raw, Publishers.