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KMID : 1172020060070020001
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Journal of Korean Bioethics Association
2006 Volume.7 No. 2 p.1 ~ p.12
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A New Understanding of the Categorical Character of Bioethics
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Park Chan-Goo
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Abstract
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This essay contains critical reflections upon discourses of bioethics and research ethics of korean society since "Hwang Woo Suk Scandal" last year. The ethics of scientific research consists not only of the ethics of hypothetical imperatives, which functions as a necessary evil, but also of categorical imperatives, which is responsible for the survival and the happiness of mankind. Bioethics is related to the latter. In the perspective of human dignity, the research on human embryo should be performed very cautiously. Someone supports the research on human embryonic stem cells on the ground (of humanism) that it can relieve the sufferings of hopeless cases. But it is against human dignity because it deals with human embryos only as means. A human being has personhood(status of person) not only after birth but also before birth, even from the time when his(her) parents make a plan to have a child. So the personhood should be defined anthropologically, not biologically. It is wrong to make or to sacrifice human embryos in order to rescue other persons, because a person should always be treated as an end, never as a mean. Bioethics should make Biotechnology contribute to the protection of human dignity and the survival of mankind. It is the mission of bioethics.
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KEYWORD
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Biotechnology, Bioethics, Research Ethics, Research of Human Embryo, Human Dignity
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