论我国刑法第20条的条款关系

On the Relationship between the Three Paragraphs of Article 20 of China's Criminal Law

我国刑法第20条由三个条款组成,只有准确把握了这三个条款之间的相互关系,才能准确理解它们各自的含义。第1款是对正当防卫的规定,第2款是对防卫过当的规定,因而这两个条款之间的关系实际上就是正当防卫与防卫过当的关系。从存在论的立场出发,正当防卫与防卫过当属于包含与被包含的关系;从价值论的立场出发,这一理解有助于揭示此前被学界忽略的法定的正当防卫概念的理论意义和实践价值。不过,考虑到法定的正当防卫概念容易与在理论研究和司法实践中更为常见的学理的正当防卫概念发生混淆,不妨将其替换为防卫行为。关于刑法第20条第2款与第3款的关系,理论上存在例外说、补充说、依附说和对立说四种观点。经过形式逻辑和实体逻辑的双重分析可知,第2款与第3款是一般条款与特殊条款的关系,例外说值得肯定。判断一个防卫行为是否构成防卫过当,应当首先看该行为能否适用于刑法第20条第3款;如果答案是否定的,再根据刑法第20条第2款进行判断。

Article 20 of China＇s crhninal law consists of three closely related paragraphs. Only by accurately grasping the interrelationship between these three paragraphs can we understand theirmeaning. Paragraph 1 is to the regulation of justified defense, and paragraph 2 the regulation of excessive defense. A s a result, the relationship between the two paragraphs is, in fact, the relationship between the justified defense and excessive defense. From the stand point of on tology, justified defense inciudesexcessive defense. From the viewpointofaxiology, the viewpointthatjustified defense includes excessive defense helps to revealthe theore tical and practical value of legal justified defense. A ccording to the analysis of fonnal logic and substantive logic, the relationship between paragraph 2 and paragraph 3 is the relationship between general clause and special clause. Based on the basic principle that the special clause is superior to the general clause, the application of paragraph 3 should be given priority when we judge whether a behavior constitutes a defense. If paragraph 3 does notapply, then consider paragraph 2.