脑成像技术对道德责任判定的挑战

Challenge Brought by Brain Imaging Technology for the Judgment of Moral Responsibility

道德责任评判以自由意志的存在为前提,以行动的后果为依据。然而,脑成像技术的发展表明真正的自由意志是不存在的,情感以及记忆在道德判断中扮演了重要角色,有时甚至起决定性作用。因此,自由意志并非道德责任判定的合理前提,行动的直接后果也并非道德责任评判的可靠依据,这给传统道德责任判定提出了极大的挑战。

The judgment of moral responsibility was based on the existence of free will and the consequence of the action. However, brain imaging technology indicates the real free will does not really exist. Emotions and memory play an important role in moral judgments, and sometimes a decisive role. Therefore, for the moral evaluation, free will is not a reasonable prerequisite and the consequence of the action not a reliable basis, all of which raise a great challenge for the traditional criteria of judging moral responsibility.