Original scientific paper

Bioethics, Dignity of Man, and Reflective Judgement

Kurt Walter Ziedler ; University of Vienna, Institute of Philosophy, Vienna, Austria

Abstract

Bioethics faces two closely linked problems: (1) though the concept of human dignity is widely acclaimed, it becomes highly controversial as soon as we try to define its content and meaning extension; (2) we strongly need a method or theory of reasoning that allows us to determine the relation between moral principles and concrete cases. In a broader although strict philosophical sense these two problems of recent bioethics are related with Kant’s concepts of ‘Autonomy’ and ‘reflective judgement’, which can be combined in view of a threefold logic of establishing rules. Such logic is anticipated in Montesquieu’s doctrine of the distribution of powers, since by defining (legislative) and executing rules (executive) we also have to identify the cases of their application (judicial power).Thus we can understand the relation between moral concepts or principles and facts or concrete cases as a dynamical relation constituting its moments, and therefore can comprehend human dignity rather as a ‘regulative idea’, then as a concept that has to be definitely defined.

Keywords

bioethics; Dignity of man; Reflective Judgement; Immanuel Kant; Charles-Louis de Secondat Montesquieu; Distribution of Powers; Establishing Rules

Hrčak ID:

37132

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/37132

Publication date:

13.2.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian french german

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