風險、社會與倫理

Risk, Society and Ethic

工業化和現代化過程所隱含的風險問題，已愈來愈影響到一般人的認知與行動，也在哲學、倫理學和社會學領域引起熱烈討論。本文首先針對風險、理性與現代性之間的關係進行探討，指出德國社會學家貝克的「風險社會」理論，較諸於「後工業社會」、「後現代社會」等概念，似乎更能突顯出現代人的兩難處境。接著本文藉助哈伯馬斯解 釋社會演化的分析架構，將風險在現代社會的分配邏輯加以描述，並強調風險乃是一種「開放性的社會建構」，透過不同社會成員的互動，方會呈現為「公共領域」的議題。另外，英國社會學者紀登斯對於風險和信任在社會變遷中所扮演的角色，也有深入的剖析，他和貝克都認為人類必須不斷反省自己行動可能造成的後果，因此未來將是以「反省性的現代化」來矯正過去犯下的錯誤。最後，本文檢視「風險社會」中的倫理問題，主張韋伯提到過的「責任倫理」原則可以適用到今日的情境，並應建立起相關制度，使個別及有組織的行動者經由學習和溝通，加強其風險意識與責任感，以減少功利式個人主義所製造的集體風險。

The problems of risk in the process of industrialization and of modernization have affected more and more the public's belief and actions. Meanwhile, the problems have aroused fervent discussion in the fields of Philosophy, Ethics and Sociology. This paper delves firstly into the relations between risk, rationality and modernity, indicating that the theory of 'Risk Society' proposed by Beck, seems to be abler to reflect the dilemma that modern people have been in, than concepts such as 'post-industrial society' and 'post-modern society'. Furthermore, this text draws support from Habermas's theoretical explanation of social evolution, to interpret Beck's framework of 'logic of risk-distribution' in the modern society, highlighting risk as an 'open social construct', which would become agenda of 'public sphere' through the interaction between citizens. On the other hand, Giddens conducts an in-depth analysis on the role risk and trust play during social transformation. Giddens and Beck both recognize that human beings must consistently self-examine the likely outcome brought about by their own moves. Therefore, the future will be correcting mistakes of the past based on the 'reflexive modernity. 'Lastly, the text examines the ethical problems in 'risk society' and asserts that Weber's 'Verantwortungsethik' (ethic of responsibility) principle can be suitable for the present context. In addition, it is suggested that relevant systems should be established, where, through learning and communication, individual and corporate agents will have an increasing awareness of risk and stronger feelings of responsibility, in order to diminish the collective risk caused by utilitarian individualism.