According to the principle of double effect, sometimes it is permissible to cause a harm as a side effect or double effect. Yet it is often poorly understood, abused, and criticized. Jun 11, 2017 a brief explanation of the four criteria of the famous catholic doctrine of double effect originally created by st. The principle of double effect pde is an important principle of medical ethics. In a nutshell, the principle is that sometimes it is permissible to bring about as a merely foreseen side effect a harmful event. Pdf the doctrine of double effect and the ethics of dual use. The philosophical debate on the doctrine of double effect faces a continuing stall. However, many arguments against the legalization of voluntary active euthanasia are flawed. The doctrine of double effect dde, also known as the principle of double effect, is a set of ethical criteria that often affect medical practice and. This article is brought to you for free and open access by the faculty publications at loyola ecommons. Double effect, principle of the principle of double effect is a rule of conduct frequently used in moral theology to determine when a person may lawfully perform an action from which two effects will follow, one bad and the other good. The principle of double effect, or pde, has its origins with st. There are several criteria that an act must meet in order for it to be justified by this principle.
The principle of double effect avoids these two defective extremes. The actinitself cannot be morally wrong or intrinsically evil 3. The doctrine of double effect is largely irrelevant in everyday practice forbes and huxtable 2006. The doctrine or principle of double effect is often invoked to explain the permissibility of an action that causes a serious harm, such as the death of a human being, as a side effect of promoting some good end.
Terms in this set 12 the doctrine of double effect dde dde. Thomas aquinas and how it can be applied to the trolley problem and the fat. The principle of double effect has played a significant role in the discussion of many difficult normative questions. One of the reasons why most of us feel puzzled about the problem of abortion is that we want, and do not want, to. The doctrine of double effect this doctrine says that if doing something morally good has a morally bad sideeffect its ethically ok to do it providing the bad sideeffect wasnt intended. The doctrine of double effect dde is a claim about the moral signi. The doctrine of the double effect is an algorithm for solving all moral disputes in which an act will have two effects, one good and the other bad. On automating the doctrine of double effect naveen sundar govindarajuluandselmer bringsjord rensselaer polytechnic institute, troy, ny fnaveensundarg,selmer. In this essay, leslie allan addresses four of the most prominent problems faced by an absolutist ethic and evaluates the extent to which the principle of double effect is successful in avoiding or. The principle of double effect, once largely confined to discussions by catholic moral theologians, in recent years has figured prominently in the discussion of both ethical theory and applied ethics by a broad range of contemporary philosophers. The doctrine of double effect and the trolley problem by. Revising the doctrine of double effect mcmahan 1994. The principle of double effect and proportionate reason.
This doctrine says that if doing something morally good has a morally bad side effect, its ethically ok to do it providing the bad side effect. The doctrine of double effect as an objective principle. He intends in the strictest sense both those things that he aims at as ends and those that he aims at as means to his ends. The use and abuse of the principle of double effect. Pdf the problem of abortion and the doctrine of double. However, the greatest credit in modern times for the thorough exposition of this principle as a norm applicable to the whole field of moral theology. Apr 23, 2018 6 introductory points on the doctrine of double effect bibliography anderson, susan, 1998. The proponent of the principle of double effect is certainly correct in pointing out the linguistic fallacy in describing the person, in the above example, who does not give in to the blackmailers demands as a murderer. In ethical analysis of palliative care interventions that are argued potentially to hasten death, these may be deemed to be ethically permissible by the application of the doctrine of double effect, if the doctors intention is to relieve pain and. A doctor who believes abortion is always morally wrong may nevertheless remove the uterus or fallopian tubes of a pregnant woman, knowing the. A person may permissibly perform an action that is foreseen to cause an evil if. The doctrine of double effect and the ethics of dual use.
Catholic and certain noncatholic moralists and moral philosophers adhere. The principle allows the action as morally permissible in those circumstances in which the harmful effect is not intended, but is a sideeffect of the action. The use and abuse of double effect anna sutherland. Consequentialism, the actionomission distinction, and the. Since the doctrine, or principle of double effect as it is sometimes called, is specifically intended as a guide to decisionmaking in ethically difficult cases where an. Doctrine of double effect stanford encyclopedia of philosophy.
The doctrine of double effect as an objective principle howard nye university of michigan abstract. The doctrine of double effect dde, also known as the principle of double effect, is a set of ethical criteria that often affect medical practice and has regularly complicated the ethics around. The doctrine of double effect is described as performing an act with good intentions and with a good moral compass knowing the act has the potential to seriously harm the individual. Care and decisionmaking at the end of life that promotes comfort and dignity is widely endorsed by public policy and the law. Palliative care, double effect and the law in australia. The doctrine of double effect was developed by the roman catholic church and dates back to the salmanticenses theologians of the 16th and 17th centuries walton 2002. It is often used in healthcare to justify actions done in good faith. The principle of double effect is used to rationalize the harmful effects of an otherwise good intervention. It is further explained that the pde requires 1 that there be two effects that follow from the doctors actions. Anyway, as i understand it, the principle of double effect is moral or ethical concept that stems from st. The principle of double effect was formulated by catholic ethicists to overcome such objections. There are different formulations of the doctrine of double effect dde, and sometimes philosophers propose revisions or alternatives, like the means principle, for instance.
The doctrine of double effect is a normative principle according to which in pursuing the good it is sometimes morally permissible to bring about some evil as a side effect or merely foreseen consequence. Abstract the doctrine of double effect has been challenged by the claim that what an agent intends as a means may be limited to those effects that are precisely characterised by the descriptions under which the agent believes that they are minimally causally necessary for the production of other effects that the agent seeks to bring about. Absolutist systems of ethics have come in for harsh criticism on a number of fronts. Just because it has both effects does not mean that it is not morally permitted. The problem of abortion and the doctrine of the double effect. Proponents of pde have claimed that this principle is a necessary requirement if one is to avoid the serious difficulties involved in holding to a set of absolute moral rules. Is the doctrine of double effect irrelevant in endoflife. It is commonly believed that the doctrine of double effect dde is identical with, or presupposes, the intention principle according to which an act can be impermissible if done with a wrongful intention.
Thomas aquinas and is one of the best strategies in solving complex morality issues. Should we take the rule that prohibits killing civilians noncombatants in war to hold under all circumstances, or only for the most part. The problem of abortion and the doctrine of the double effect philippa foot 1967. The principle allows the action as morally permissible in those circumstances in which the harmful effect is not intended, but is a side effect of the action. Marker, jd, is the executive director of the patients rights council in. The doctrine of double effect dde is an influential nonconsequentialist principle positing a role for intention in affecting the moral permissibility of some. Intention principle and the doctrine of double effect.
Doctrine in catholic moral theory is to give a ruling on the moral permissibility of certain actions with bad effects. Doctrine of double effect is a moral theory that is utilized to determine whether an act is good or bad. More careful attention to some of the central notions and distinctions embodied in the dde shows that. This doctrine says that if doing something morally good has a morally bad side effect its ethically ok to do it providing the bad side effect wasnt intended. The problem of abortion and the doctrine of the double effect phillipa foot before reading the article by foot, this short discussion of the doctrine of the double effect is useful. The doctrine or principle of double effect is often invoked to explain the permissibility of an action that causes a serious harm, such as the. In this essay, i will use the term principle of double effect or pde throughout. In ethical reasoning, the principle of double effect is sometimes invoked when an action has two effects hence double effect.
The double effect doctrine forbids the achievement of good ends by wrong means but it permits actions with a double effect,both good and bad,under certain conditions. Rcent interest amongst philosophers in the doctrine of double effect 1 seems extraordinary, given that the doctrine would appear merely to be an esoteric and derivative aspect of catholicand more narrowly, thomisticmoral theology, embedded in a morality based upon general, exceptionless moral rules. The socalled doctrine or principle of double effect hereafter called. This principle states that it is possible to make a decision that has both good and bad effects. Doctrine of double effect stanford encyclopedia of. The good effect does not result from the evil effect. Doctrine of double effect doctrine of double effect definition according to the stanford encyclopedia of philosophy, the doctrine of double effect is the doctrine or principle of double effect is often invoked to explain the permissibility of an action that causes a serious harm, such as death of a human being, as a side effect of promoting some good end.
Principle of double effect 2 the principle of double effect is frequently cited in cases of pregnancy and abortion. Endoflife decisions and double effect how can this be wrong when it feels so right. Haig khatchadourian the socalled doctrine or principle of double effect hereafter called the principle plays a central role in various areas of normative ethics, e. The doctrine of double effect and the trolley problem by ezio. Absolutist systems of ethics have come in for harsh criticism by moral philosophers on a number of fronts.
I wouldnt necessarily use the term doctrine of double effect but rather principle of double effect. Nov 30, 2014 the principle of double effect is used to rationalize the harmful effects of an otherwise good intervention. Situations in which good can be secured for some people only if others suffer harm are of great significance. To view the pdf, you must log in or become a member. The doctrine of double effect states roughly that there are stronger moral reasons against inflicting harm as a means to an end than there are against causing harm as a byproduct. I conclude that there is a persuasive case for thinking that the intuitions underlying the doctrine of double effect are unreliable. The doctrine of double effect and the ethics of dual use 155 a bad effect the attackers death, which the actor can foresee but need not intend. Does dde imply that it is always wrong to intend harm. Introduction many philosophers see the doctrine of double effect henceforth dde as a crucial component of nonconsequentialist moral theories, for good or bad. It has featured extensively in the discussion of endof life decisions that appear to have the good effect of providing.
The doctrine of the double effect is based on a distinction between what a man foresees as a result of his voluntary action and what,in the strict sense, he intends. This article examines the doctrine of double effect through case examples and presents. The doctrine of double effect is an ethical principle dating back to the th century that explains how the bad consequences of an action can be considered ethically justified if the original intent was for good intention. Original article two challenges to the double effect doctrine. The principle of double effect affects catholic and arguably protestant moral teaching on subjects from war to abortion, meaning its highly relevant to our debates over the use of drone strikes and the tragic death of savita halappanavar. Doctrine of double effect the doctrine or principle of double effect is often invoked to explain the permissibility of an action that causes a serious harm, such as the death of a human being, as a side effect of promoting some good end.
N her manuscript analyzing the relationship between the principle of double effect and ef fective pain management, fohr critically ex plores the assumption that opioids, when used according to established pain management. This principle aims to provide specific guidelines for determining when it is morally permissible to perform an action in pursuit of a good end in full knowledge. The principle of double effect is used to justify the administration of medication to relieve pain even though it may lead to the unintended, although foreseen, consequence of hastening death by causing respiratory depression. This principle is sometimes referred to as the doctrine of double effect dde. Even its formula tion is subject to considerable variation across philosophers. Pdf on dec 19, 20, suzanne uniacke and others published the doctrine of double effect and the ethics of dual use find, read and cite. Pdf palliative care and the doctrine of double effect. Its most prominent applications are in medical ethics, where it figures prominently in attempts to distinguish among permissible and impermissible procedures in a range of obstetrical cases. Principle of double effect and endoflife pain management. Is the principle of double effect morally acceptable.
The doctrine of double effect bibliography philpapers. The principle of double effect also known as the rule of double effect. The conditions of the principle of double effect are the following 2. The double effect doctrine forbids the achievement of good ends by wrong means but it permits actions with a double effect, both good and bad, under certain conditions. The doctrine of double effect dde is a principle of crucial importance in law and medicine. Included in foot, 19772002 virtues and vices and other essays in moral philosophy. The doctrine of double effect is used in reasoning about the permissibility of acts that have both good and bad effects. In this article, the legal status and scope of the doctrine will be analysed, and it will be argued that the law in this context is unclear, incoherent and partial in.
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