從人性尊嚴面向思考之胚胎保護──從德國聯邦憲法法院幾件涉及人性尊嚴之裁判談起

Protection of Embryos in View of Human Dignity: From Judgments Concerning Human Dignity in German Federal Constitutional Court

提及人性尊嚴，很難不聯想到德國基本法。鑑於納粹所帶來之歷史經驗，德國基本法第1條第1項的人性尊嚴之不可侵犯性及所代表的憲法最高價值，已成為該國憲法極具象徵性的一個圖騰。但在近年發生的「銀行家之子被擄案」及「航空安全法案」後，卻引起有關人性尊嚴絕對性之嚴肅討論。若再加上生物科技的日新月異，科學家在屢屢創造病患福音之際，往往也因一再挑戰「造物者」的角色而引發疑慮。這些爭議在在涉及有無碰觸人性尊嚴，並進而挑動人性尊嚴是否為絕對價值，或可能相對化的敏感神經。學者有提出對人性尊嚴狹義理解或例外可權衡之想法，未必不是經反思下之調和產物，不僅保留了必要時得彈性處理之空間，亦可作為胚胎（及其幹細胞）研究之合憲化事由。

It’s difficult to address issues concerning human dignity without having association with German Basic Law. In tlight of Nazis’s historical experience, the inviolability of human dignity and the uppermost value of the Constitution that represents, provided in Article 1 paragraph 1 of German Basic Law, becomes the emblem of the Constitution. However, after the occurrences of several ambivalent cases in recent years, serious discussions regarding the absolute nature of human dignity arise; moreover, scientific researches of trying to play the role of Creator by means of applying innovative biotechnology repetitively also receive a great deal of controversial attention. All these issues are extremely sensitive in dealing with human dignity, especially which is regarded of absolute value or may be relativized. Theories, that the narrow-understanding of human dignity is tenable or the idea of human dignity can be weighed in an exception, maybe the compromise under these dilemma, and may justify the future research of embryos (and embryonic stem cells).