經驗個案與道德哲學之分析—以安樂死爭議為例
摘要
本文主要是探討經驗個案與道德哲學彼此的關連性，並且以安樂死的討論過程為範例，藉此延伸其相關問題與贊成或反對者之立場。關於經驗個案的部份，筆者將會針對安樂死議題中，特定的判決理由或醫學案例的基本內容作出陳述，接著再剖析其使用的理由以及論證過程是否具有正當性；而關於道德哲學的部份，筆者則是舉出幾位學者的哲學理論和觀點，對應本文所列舉與安樂死相關的個別案例之內容，做出對比或應用。
這篇論文的分析過程如下：第一，筆者將會先釐清德沃金和波斯納對於道德和法律之爭論，由他們兩人各自的看法突顯出法律和道德原則銜接上的差異，但又互相依存的關係。假如道德哲學和法律判決彼此有相當程度的關聯性，這個前提一旦成立，才能進一步利用經驗個案，以哲學論證去解析安樂死合法具備的合理性與正當性；第二，筆者會分別列舉出哲學、法律和醫學上關於「人格」、「自主」或是「死亡」的定義，作為分析安樂死爭議之基礎；第三，分析實際案例－美國華盛頓州訴哥魯克斯堡案－的判決內容，並且說明美國聯邦法院對於華盛頓州的法體系之觀點與理由，如「正當程序」、「作為不作為的問題」、「最佳利益」等等，應用這些判決理由之中的道德論證與法理依據，而且將會針對這個主題詳加討論；最後，本文再回到個別的具體疑難案件，並呈顯王曉民、庫珊和奎蘭的經驗個案之情況，接著以德蕭維奇的「養育」權利的概念、穆勒自由主義之原則，以及康德哲學體系中的定言令式或尊嚴之概念，應用於分析上述所論及台灣與美國的經驗個案之情況。
關鍵詞：安樂死、疑難案件、自主、不可逆的昏迷、最佳利益、滑坡論證、養育、自由原則、定言令式
Abstract
The main purpose of this article is to probe into the connection between experience case and moral philosophy. By taking the discussion of euthanasia as an example, I will extend several related issues and illustrate the standpoints of proponents and opponents. As to the experience case, I will make the statement aiming at the specific court decisions or the basic content in the medical cases in terms of the subject of euthanasia and then analyze its reasonableness and validity in the process of demonstration. With respect to moral philosophy, I will point out several scholars' philosophy theories and viewpoints to make the contrast or apply them to the related content in the euthanasia experience case.
The analyzing process of this article is as following. First, I will define Ronald Dworkin's and Richard A. Posner's argument regarding moral and legal issues. The diversity of Dworkin's and Posner's opinions underlines not only the difference in the connection between law and ethical principles but also the interdependence relationship between them. If the moral philosophy and legal decisions have considerable degree of correlation, we can further using the experience case to analyze the rationality and validity of legalization of euthanasia through philosophical argumentation; Second, I will clarify the definition of "person," "autonomy," or "death" in the fields of philosophy, law, and medicine as the foundation to analyze the disputations of euthanasia; Third, I will analyze the content of the judgment of a real case ─Washington v. Glucksberg and explain the Supreme Court of the United States' reasons and viewpoints regarding State of Washington's legal system, such as "due process," "the acts and omissions question," and "best interest". Based on the moral arguments and legal principles of these court decisions, I will discuss the topic in detail; Finally, back to the discussion of the individual hard case, I'll then display the outcome of the experience cases among Xiao-Ming Wang, Nancy Cruzan and Karen Ann Quinlan. After that, I will use Alan Dershowitz's "nurture" concept of the right, J. S. Mill's principle of Liberalism, and the concept of "categorical imperative" and "dignity" in Kant's philosophy to apply to the analysis that has discussed above and the judgment of the experience cases in Taiwan and the United States.
Keywords:euthanasia, hard case, autonomy, irreversible coma, best interest, slippery slope argument, nurture, principle of liberty, categorical imperative