thomas aquinas came up with the principle of double effect.
thomas aquinas came up with the principle of double effect.
who came up with the principle of double effect?
thomas aquinas
the principle of double effect are also known as the rule of double effect; the doctrine of double effect, often abbreviated as dde or pde, double-effect reasoning; or simply double effect—is a set of ethical criteria which christian philosophers, and some others, have advocated for evaluating the permissibility of acting when one's otherwise legitimate act (for example, relieving a terminally ill patient's pain) may also cause an effect one would otherwise be obliged to avoid (sedation and a slightly shortened life). the first known example of double-effect reasoning is thomas aquinas' treatment of homicidal self-defense, in his work "summa theologica".
principle of double effect
the principle of double effect is based on the idea that there is a morally relevant difference between an "intended" consequence of an act and one that is foreseen by the actor but not calculated to achieve his motive. so, for example, the principle is invoked to consider the terror bombing of non-combatants having as its goal victory in a legitimate war morally out of bounds, while holding as ethically in bounds an act of strategic bombing that similarly harms non-combatants with foresight as a side effect of destroying a legitimate military target. because advocates of double effect propose that consequentially similar acts can be morally different, double effect is most often criticized by consequentialists who consider the consequences of actions entirely determinative of the action's morality.
principle of double effect