构造事实为证据首要功能之证成

On Justification of Constructing Fact as the Primary Function of Evidence

一般认为证据的功能是证明案件事实,但这种观点无法解释如下逻辑问题:当只面对证据时,我们并不知道事实是什么,又如何用证据去证明这个我们不知道的事实?若我们考察作为案件结论小前提的事实之生成过程就会发现,作为案件结论小前提的事实,恰恰是办案人员依据证据及其他一些相关因素构造而成的。这意味着,证据的首要且本质的作用其实在于:它是用以构造案件事实的一种重要原材料,证明只是证据的第二性、辅助性的作用——证据可用来证明一个已经得出的案件事实结论,或用来证明其他证据。证成这一发现不仅可以解决当前通说面对的逻辑难题,还可以带来一系列理论和实践上的启示。

It is generally believed that the function of evidence is to prove the facts of a case, but this viewpoint can not explain the following logical problem: When we only face evidence, we do not know what the facts are, and how can we use evidence to prove this fact that we do not yet know? If we examine the process of generating facts as minor prerequisites for case conclusions, we will find that the facts as minor prerequisites for case conclusions are precisely reconstructed by investigators based on evidence and other relevant factors. This means that the primary and essential role of evidence is actually: It is an important raw material used to construct the facts of the case, proof or testification only serves as a secondary and auxiliary function of evidence— just when evidence can be used to prove a factual conclusion of a case that has already been drawn, or to prove other evidence. This discovery can not only solve the logical difficulties faced by current theories, but also bring a series of theoretical and practical inspirations.