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ETHICS THEME 2
PART C - Coggle Diagram
ETHICS THEME 2
PART C
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Double Effect:
what is it:
- Intentions can trump actions
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- situations where there is an intended outcome and another significant but unintended outcome
- Its always wrong to intentionally do a bad act to bring about a good consequence
- it is sometimes right to do a good act despite knowing it will bring bad consequences as long as they are unintended side-effects
Its right because:
- There are some circumstances where a certain act brings about two effects, one of these effects could cash with a primary/secondary precept.
- In order to discern whether the act is good or bad, must analyse intention rather than act itself
- For example, Thomas Aquinas' justification of killing in self-defence, as even though you are murdering another person, intention is to preserve innocent life, making the action morally justifiable