自從美國喬治城大學Tom Beauchanp 及James Childress 於1979 年出版了「醫學倫理原則」一書以來，對醫學倫理的抉擇判斷上是否需要有「原則」的指引，在學界上就一直是熱門的話題。歐洲醫學倫理學者，以Peter Kemp為代表提出了不同的倫理原則，日本的Sakamato則認為原則並沒有必要。還有很多的學者以情境為出發點強調每一個醫療事件都有不同的面向、情況與地域、文化思考之不同，因之應以情境為主要的考量，未必須要原則的指引；而且原則是相對性的，會因文化差異而有所不同。本論文從中國古代醫者的行醫事蹟、著作來探尋中國的醫者是否在行醫過程當中勤守醫者的本份，也即類似原則思維的表現？雖然中國古代並沒有「醫學倫理」這個名詞，但從歷代俱有代表性之醫者身上，此論文發現，其實在中國古代醫者的行醫事蹟當中，就表現出類似的醫學倫理情操。因之，本論文結語就肯定地指出醫學倫理原則是俱普世價值的，也即世界上有所謂的共同道德存在。
Since the publication of the Principles of Medical Ethics by Tom Beauchamp and James Childress in 1979 in the US, the debate on whether or not a common morality of the world exists has never been deceased. Some said that the common morality indeed presents in every culture yet others argue that there is no such a thing. This paper examined the anecdotes and writings of the famous physicians of Chinese medicine such as Sun Ssu-miao, Tong Fong, Yeh Tien-su, Hwa-tow, Chin-yeh..etc with the intention to prove or disprove such a common morality. This author presents his finding that the ancient Chinese physicians shared the similar ethical teachings as those revealed in Beauchamp and Childress' book thus, we can say that the Chinese medical history reveals the similar teachings as thos expressed in Beauchamp and Childress' book.
