A Study on the SamJae Theory(三才思想) as a Philosophic Background of Medical Ethics

의료(醫療) 윤리(倫理) 배경 철학으로서의 삼재(三才) 사상(思想)에 대한 연구(硏究)

This study was carried out to examine that the SamJae Theory(三才思想) was applied for a philosophic background of medical ethics. SamJae theory is not the system of three categories, which is unlike to the meaning of the word 'Sam(三)', but it is the system of two categories with 天(陽) and 地(陰) which are dividing all creations and phenomenons in the universe into two. Nevertheless, the reason why we divide all the universal creations and phenomenons into three, 天, 地 and 人, and also why we give a name 'SamJae' to this theory using the word 'Sam' meaning three, is to emphasize the human free volition that comes from the independent human life in the universe composed of 天(陽) and 地(陰). In other word, the core concept of SamJae theory is not 天(陽) and 地(陰) but 人 which symbolize the independent free volition of human. Therefore, if we try to use SamJae theory as a philosophic background of medical ethics, we can establish a comprehensive theoretical system including the existing ethical theories such as utilitarianism.