Principle of Double Effect
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-28
CORE DEFINITION
The principle of double effect is a set of ethical criteria which Christian philosophers have advocated for evaluating the permissibility of acting when one's otherwise legitimate act may also cause an effect one would otherwise be obliged to avoid. The first known example of double-effect reasoning is Thomas Aquinas' treatment of homicidal self-defense, in his work Summa Theologica.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
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The principle of double effect is a set of ethical criteria which Christian philosophers have advocated for evaluating the permissibility of acting when one's otherwise legitimate act may also cause an effect one would otherwise be obliged to avoid.
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This principle is a moral framework for resolving situations where a good act is accompanied by foreseeable bad consequences. It is permissible if four conditions are met: ① The act itself is morally neutral or good; ② The agent intends the good effect, and the bad effect is merely a foreseen side effect, not an end or a means; ③ The good effect is not achieved through the bad effect; ④ The good and bad effects are proportionate (the bad effect is not excessive). The mechanism distinguishes between 'intention' and 'foresight'.
MINIMUM ACTION
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_double_effectverified
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