Moral Principle of Double Effect
Definition
An action that has both good and evil effects can be performed if the following conditions are met:
- The act itself is morally good or at least morally neutral
- Only the good effect is intended, the evil effect is only tolerated
- The good effect does not come about as the result of the evil effect
- There is serious reason to perform the action
Explanation
Human life in a fallen world is incredibly complex. Good and evil are inextricably intertwined. Sometimes it is impossible to avoid evil resulting from our actions even when we make the best possible choices.
The principle of double effect helps us to navigate through the complexities of life when good and evil seem difficult to separate. It begins with the principle that no evil may ever be done so that good may come from it. That is why the action performed must not be morally evil and why the good effect can not be a result of the evil effect.
Notice that intention – why we perform an action – plays a very minor role in the decision process. What matters is our choice. We must choose the good and only tolerate the evil.
Finally any act that causes evil must only be performed when there is sufficiently grave reason to do so. We see this condition also in just war theory and in the principles that guide the use of capital punishment.
Application:
- It would not be morally acceptible to directly kill a terminal patient in order to ease suffering.
- It would be morally acceptible to give a terminal patient high doses of morphine in order to ease suffering even though the high doses will shorten the patient’s life.
- It would not be morally acceptible to kill one person in order to save thousands (you cannot do evil so that good may come from it).
- It would be morally acceptible to take an action that would save thousands of people even though a side effect of that action resulted in the death of one or some people.
- Abortion for the sake of the mother’s helath is not morally acceptible.
- It is morally acceptible to provide life-saving treatment to a pregnant woman that indirectly results in the death of her child (for example, performing a hysterectomy or chemotherapy).