儒家生命倫理視野下人工生殖倫理觀之構建

A Confucian Ethical Construction of Artificial Reproduction

Abstract

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English.

隨著人工生殖技術的發展和應用，相伴而來的社會倫理問題也日益增多。為了使該技術真正做到以人為本、為人類的生存和發展而服務，及為人類的圓滿生活造福，探討和構建一種適應現代人工生殖技術發展和應用的倫理觀有十分逼切的需要，以指導並引領人工生殖的研究和運用及發揮技術的正面效應。儒家生命倫理以“仁愛”、“以義制利”、“天人合一”及對人類的終極關懷作為生命科技發展的最高價值判斷標準，為現代人工生殖倫理觀的構建提供了深厚的文化底蘊和理論依據。儒家生命倫理觀不僅能為該技術的應用提供價值標準，而且最重要的是能引領世人以理性的態度，從人與人、人與社會以及人與自然之間三個方面和對人的終極關懷、對現代生命科技發展及其應用進行反思，從人類整體的利益去認識現代生命科技的弊端和危害，從而調整人類自身行為，限制自身欲望，實現人類可持續發展。因此，重新認識和發掘儒家生命倫理思想，從儒家生命倫理視野下構建人工生殖倫理觀有著深遠的社會意義。

With the development and application of artificial reproductive technology, humans are able to “artificially reproduce.” However, a series of ethical problems and conflicts have arisen from the practice of artificial reproduction, suggesting that modern artificial reproductive technology serves as a kind of “double-edged sword” – it provides both benefit and harm to human beings. How to attend to the ethical conflicts arising from artificial reproduction, and more importantly, how to develop adequate contemporary ethics to provide guidance to society regarding artificial reproduction, are crucially important ethical tasks that must be addressed. This essay argues that Confucian ethical wisdom and principles should be drawn upon to develop a legitimate Chinese bioethics and a suitable Confucian ethical construction of artificial reproduction in contemporary Chinese society.

Based on Confucian ethical wisdom and insights, this essay argues that a Confucian ethical construction of artificial reproduction should include the following principles to direct relevant policy formulation and guide human conduct. The Confucian principle regarding human life is that humans are the most noble of all sentient beings. Regarding the relation between morality and benefit, Confucianism advocates a harmonious association, in which benefit should be pursued under the constraint of morality. Regarding a suitable view of nature, Confucian wisdom emphasizes the unity of Heaven and human – the Dao of Heaven is, in the metaphysical sense, followed by both nature and humanity. Regarding lives and things in the world, Confucianism upholds the ideal of honoring life and caring for things to create an ordered world. Regarding life and death, the Confucian vision is that life should be happy and death should be peaceful. Regarding one’s social responsibility, the Confucian principle is that one must follow the call of righteousness (yi) and should never violate righteousness for one’s self-interest. This essay argues that these valuable intellectual and moral resources should be drawn upon in shaping a contemporary Confucian ethical construction of artificial reproduction.

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