Ethical Consideration on modification of nature. An approach from kantian viewpoint

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00018
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01010:Philosophy and ethics-related
• Research Institution: Shimonoseki City University
• Principal Investigator: Kirihara Takahiro 下関市立大学, 経済学部, 教授 (70573450)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 類倫理 / 自己存在可能性 / 不可処分性 / 改変可能性 / 人間性/人類 / 自然/文化二元論

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Habermas's concept of mankind-ethics (the contingency and non-disposability of biological conditions at birth for "self-existence") is similar to FG Junger's view of nature as an "inviolable base". Quante's position, which insists on the possibility of modification of nature, is similar to Marx's view of nature as a "means of self-realization as mankind." For Kant, the concept of humanity (Menschheit) is not a biological characteristic, but a cultural issue that should be realized and completed in the future. This natural/cultural dualism supports Habermas's ethical concept along with the theory of personal autonomy. Herder's theory of "substitution of instinct by using language", on the other hand, presents another view of the qualitative differences between nature and culture and the holistic connection of them, and may open up new perspectives on the theory of modification of nature.

Free Research Field

哲学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

自然改変の倫理的正当化、およびその限界をめぐる問いに、現代の英米独の論考に即して取り組むという当初計画は、前回科研の延長でユンガー／マルクス比較、さらにヘルダー言語起源論・歴史哲学論に関心を移したため、部分的にしか達し得なかった。とはいえ、現代生命倫理におけるハーバーマスとクヴァンテとの対立点を各々の自然観に即して明確にし、かつ、新たにヘルダーの「本能と理性のトレード・オフ」論という哲学的人間学で受け継がれている思想を俎上に載せたことで、自然と文化の相違、自然的条件の改変可能性（不可能性）についてより深い知見を得ることができたと考える。当初の問いへの明確な回答は今後の課題である。