Dignity of the creature
The dignity of the creature has been guaranteed in the Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation since 1992 .
The concept of the dignity of the creature was first mentioned in the constitution of the canton of Aargau . Since June 25, 1980, Section 14 of the Constitution has read:
- “Scientific teaching and research and artistic activity are free. Teaching and research have to respect the dignity of the creature. "
More generally, the dignity of the creature found its way into the federal constitution of the Swiss Confederation on May 17, 1992 . initially under Article 24 paragraph 3. This included the plants by name. Since 1999, Article 120, Paragraph 2 of the Federal Constitution has read word for word:
- “The federal government issues regulations on the handling of germs and genes from animals, plants and other organisms. It takes into account the dignity of creatures as well as the safety of humans, animals and the environment and protects the genetic diversity of animal and plant species. "
The Switzerland is the only country in Europe with such a constitutional provision to the dignity of the plant.
In the federal law on genetic engineering in the non-human area of Switzerland, which came into force at the beginning of 2004, it says in Article 8 respect for the dignity of creatures:
- “In animals and plants, genetic modification of the genetic material must not disregard the dignity of the creature. This is particularly disregarded if species-specific characteristics, functions or ways of life are significantly impaired and this is not justified by overriding interests worthy of protection. When assessing the impairment, the difference between animals and plants must be taken into account. "
In 2008, the satirical Ig Nobel jury awarded the Federal Ethics Commission for Biotechnology in the Extra- Human Area (EKAH) together with all Swiss citizens for the recognition of plant dignity with a prize in the “Peace” category.
Consideration of the dignity of plants also leads to a debate about the rights of plants .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Heike Baranzke: Would the Creature? the idea of dignity in the horizon of bioethics: Königshausen & Neumann, 2002, page 15 ff. ( Google Books )
- ↑ Dagmar Richter: The dignity of the creature. Comparative law considerations. ( Memento of the original from October 11, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: Journal for Foreign Public Law and International Law (ZaöRV), No. 67, 2007, page 319 ff.
- ↑ Swiss Alliance Gentech Free (say): Dignity of the creature. accessed May 24, 2017
- ↑ Florian Rötzer: The dignity of plants is becoming a problem in Switzerland. In: heise.de, April 24, 2008
- ↑ Markus Becker: The role of the armadillo in world history. In: Der Spiegel, October 3, 2008
- ↑ Felix Maise: Plants have a basic right to reproduce. In: Tagesanzeiger, September 18, 2008
