也談文化傳統在生命倫理學中的地位和意義問題

On the Status and Significance of Cultural Traditions in Bioethics

Abstract

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

在〈生命倫理學：跨文化探索〉一文中，譚傑志教授探討了在處理複雜生命倫理問題時引入文化傳統的必要性及其地位問題，以及如何在文化多元的現實背景下，在生命倫理學領域開展跨文化交流與合作的問題。我贊同本文的主要觀點和結論，但認為在一些細節問題上，譚教授的觀點作一個適度的調整可能更有普遍性、更易獲得廣泛的認同。(撮要取自內文首段)

It is important to incorporate cultural traditions into the resolution of complex bioethics problems. To properly evaluate the status and significance of cultural traditions in bioethics across different cultural backgrounds, however, we must also acknowledge the nature of different cultural traditions and their statuses in the places where they were created. For people without religious beliefs, religious traditions are different from cultural traditions, and people from different cultural backgrounds have very different attitudes towards their own traditions. We therefore cannot discuss the significance of cultural traditions in bioethics without making distinctions. Creating a cross-cultural and global understanding of bioethics requires us to recognize the status and significance of cultural traditions and, more importantly, we must view our own traditions and the traditions of others from an open, evolving, and inclusive perspective. Only when we believe that our own cultural traditions are also transforming to meet the requirements of a new era can we achieve deep and meaningful cooperation across diverse cultures, guided by the concept of “universal values.”