Diagrammatic reasoning: the art of good thinking to think about the greater good

Abstract Models are conceptual constructions, with some degree of simplification, that keep a partial match with the phenomena they aim to address. The Principialist model, which is based on a matrix formed by four principles: Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, Autonomy and Justice, stands out in the Bioethical field. When addressing a conflict between ethical guidelines, this model makes it possible to evaluate those guidelines that are more appropriate to the specific concrete situation. Based on the logical diagram, we sought to deepen the theoretical-conceptual foundation of bioethics, considering the standard Principialist model, which is an important heuristic tool. Logical relationships underlie all thoughts, and diagrams show such relationships in integrated spatial structures, representing the topology of concepts. The logical relationships, present in the structure of the models, allow one to understand the conceptual field of principles that operate within bioethical reasoning. The diagrammatic reasoning thus allows us to observe that, in the face of problem situations, there is no incompatibility between the Principialist and Personalist concepts - on the contrary, they complement one another and have synergy.摘要 模型是具备一定简化程度的概念建构，能够与它们旨在阐释的现象保持部分契合。基于行善（Beneficence）、不伤害（Non-Maleficence）、自主（Autonomy）与公正（Justice）四大原则构成的矩阵而提出的原则主义模型（Principialist model），在生物伦理学领域极具代表性。当面临伦理准则间的冲突时，该模型可用于评估更契合特定具体情境的准则。本研究以作为重要启发式工具的标准原则主义模型为切入点，基于逻辑图示深化了生物伦理学的理论概念基础。逻辑关系是所有思维的底层支撑，而图示则以整合的空间结构呈现此类关系，刻画概念的拓扑属性。蕴含于模型结构中的逻辑关系，能够帮助研究者理解生物伦理推理中所涉及的诸原则的概念范畴。因此，图示推理让我们得以发现：在面对问题情境时，原则主义与人格主义（Personalist）概念之间并不存在互斥性——恰恰相反，二者互为补充且具有协同效应。