Professor Emeritus, Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Medical School Universities of Zagreb and Sarajevo.
Psychiatr Danub. 2021 May;33(Suppl 3):S257-S279.
One of the most controversial topics in modern bioethics, science, and philosophy is the beginning of individual human life. In the seemingly endless debate, strongly stimulated by recent technologic advances in human reproduction, a synthesis between scientific data and hypothesis, philosophical thought, and issues of humanities has become a necessity to deal with ethical, juridical, and social problems. Furthermore, in this field there is a temptation to ask science to choose between opinions and beliefs, which neutralize one another. The question of when human life begins requires the essential aid of different forms of knowledge. Here we become involved in the juncture between science and religion, which needs to be carefully explored. Modern bioethics and science are strongly concerned for the respect of human life at both ends of its existence (birth and death), but other sciences (eg. Philosophy, technology, psychology, sociology, law, and politics) consider the beginning of human life according to different points of view. However, bioethical topics like this one cannot be treated from only one perspective (eg. Biological, philosophical, or religious) because conclusions might be not good enough or reductive. This reality should be regarded in all its richness: An embryo gives a biologist and a geneticist substance for consideration, but because we are talking about the beginning of human life, it requires philosophical-anthropological consideration and confrontation with theology; in its protection we have to include ethics and law. In experiencing and investigating social behavior, other disciplines, such as the history of medicine and sociology, have to be included. It is hard to answer the question when human life should be legally protected. At the time of conception? At the time of implantation? At the time of birth? In all countries (except Ireland and Liechtenstein) juridical considerations are based on Roman law. Roman civil law says that the fetus has right when it is born or if it is born-nasciterus. Few countries agree with definition of beginning of human personality at the time of conception. The majority does not grant legal status to the human embryo in vitro (i.e., during the 14 days after fertilization). Thus, even in the absence of legal rights, there is no denying that the embryo constitutes the beginning of human life, a member of the human family. Therefore, whatever the attitude, every country has to examine which practices are compatible with the respect of that dignity and the security of human genetic material.The question when a human life begins and how to define it, could be answered only through the inner-connecting pathways of history, philosophy, medical science and religion. It has not been easy to determine where to draw the fine line between the competence of science and methaphysics in this delicate philosophical field. To a large extent the drawing of this line depends on one's fundamental philosophical outlook. The point at which human life begins will always be seen differently by different individuals, groups, cultures, and religious faiths. In democracy there are always at least two sides, and the center holds only when the majority realizes that without a minority democracy itself is lost. The minority in turn must realize its best chance lies in persuasion by reason and thoughtfulness rather than fanaticism.
在现代生命伦理学、科学和哲学中，最具争议的话题之一是人类个体生命的起点。在最近人类生殖技术进步的强烈刺激下，科学数据和假设、哲学思想以及人文问题之间的综合已成为处理伦理、法律和社会问题的必要条件。此外，在这个领域中，有一种倾向是要求科学在相互对立的观点和信仰之间做出选择。人类生命何时开始的问题需要不同形式的知识的基本帮助。在这里，我们陷入了科学与宗教之间的交叉点，需要仔细探讨。现代生命伦理学和科学非常关注人类生命存在的两端（出生和死亡）的尊重，但其他科学（如哲学、技术、心理学、社会学、法律和政治）则根据不同的观点来考虑人类生命的起点。然而，像这样的生命伦理话题不能只从一个角度（如生物学、哲学或宗教）来处理，因为结论可能不够好或过于简化。这种现实应该以其全部丰富性来对待：胚胎为生物学家和遗传学家提供了研究的素材，但由于我们正在讨论人类生命的起点，因此需要哲学人类学的考虑，并与神学进行对抗；在保护胚胎时，我们必须包括伦理学和法律。在体验和研究社会行为时，还需要包括其他学科，如医学史和社会学。很难回答人类生命何时应受到法律保护的问题。是在受孕时？在着床时？在出生时？在所有国家（除爱尔兰和列支敦士登外），法律考虑都基于罗马法。罗马民法规定，胎儿在出生时或出生时（如果出生的话）就拥有权利。很少有国家同意在受孕时定义人类人格的开始。大多数国家不承认体外胚胎（即受精后 14 天内）的法律地位。因此，即使没有法律权利，也不能否认胚胎构成了人类生命的起点，是人类大家庭的一员。因此，无论态度如何，每个国家都必须审查哪些做法符合对人类尊严的尊重和人类遗传物质的安全。人类生命始于何时以及如何定义，只有通过历史、哲学、医学科学和宗教的内在联系途径才能回答。在这个微妙的哲学领域，要确定科学和形而上学在这方面的能力之间的细微界限并不容易。在很大程度上，这条线的划定取决于一个人的基本哲学观点。在不同的个体、群体、文化和宗教信仰中，人类生命开始的点总是会有不同的看法。在民主国家中，总会有至少两个方面，而当多数人意识到没有少数派民主本身就会失去时，中心才会存在。少数派反过来也必须意识到，最好的机会在于通过理性和深思熟虑而不是狂热来进行说服。
