The Limits of Double Effect

Ir. the decades since Anscombe re-introduced the distinction between intention and foresight into philosophical ethics, supporters and critics of the related principle of double effect (PDE) have displayed disagreement and confusion about its application and scope. The key to correct interpretation...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the American Catholic Philosophical Association
Main Author: Giebel, Heidi M. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: [2015]
In: Proceedings of the American Catholic Philosophical Association
RelBib Classification:NCA Ethics
VA Philosophy
Further subjects:B DOUBLE effect (Ethics)
B contextual analysis
B Intention
B Interpersonal Relations
B Philosophy
Online Access: Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:Ir. the decades since Anscombe re-introduced the distinction between intention and foresight into philosophical ethics, supporters and critics of the related principle of double effect (PDE) have displayed disagreement and confusion about its application and scope. The key to correct interpretation and application of PDE, I argue, is recognition of its limits: (1) the principle does not include an account of the goodness or badness of effects; (2) it does not include an account of intention; (3) PDE does not specify a particular action as right or obligatory; and (4) rhe privacy of intention limits its application in interpersonal and legal contexts. While all four of these features are "limits" in the sense that they are things PDE does not do, I argue that (a) only the fourth is a real limitation or disadvantage of the principle--and (b) none of the limits implies that the principle should be rejected.
ISSN:2153-7925
Contains:Enthalten in: American Catholic Philosophical Association, Proceedings of the American Catholic Philosophical Association
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.5840/acpaproc201692946