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The principle of double effect has a long history, from scholastic disputations about self-defense and scandal to current debates about terrorism, torture, euthanasia, and abortion. Despite being widely debated, the principle remains poorly understood. In Intention, Character, and Double Effect, Lawrence Masek combines theoretical and applied questions into a systematic defense of the principle that does not depend on appeals to authority or intuitions about cases. Masek argues that actions can be wrong because they corrupt the agent's character and that one must consider the agent's perspective to determine which effects the agent intends. This defense of the principle clears up common confusions and overcomes critics' objections, including confusions about trolley and transplant cases and objections from neuroscience and moral psychology. This book will interest scholars and students in different fields of study, including moral philosophy, action theory, moral theology, and moral psychology. Its discussion of contemporary ethical issues and sparse use of technical jargon make it suitable for undergraduate and graduate courses in applied ethics. The appendix summarizes the main cases that have been used to illustrate or to criticize the principle of double effect.
"[This book] presents an agent-based version of the Principle of Double Effect (PDE) that arose from the author’s engagement with MacIntyre’s After Virtue, wrestling to pinpoint the disagreement between the critics and advocates of double effect and understanding why PDE generally appeals more to Catholic philosophers." —Catholic Library World
Lawrence Masek is professor of philosophy at Ohio Dominican University.
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. The Rational Basis of the Principle of Double Effect
2. A Definition of Intended Effects
3. The Strongest Objection to the Principle of Double Effect
4. Trolley Cases, Neuroscience, and Moral Psychology
5. Hard Cases in Medicine and War
Appendix: Case Summaries
Bibliography
Index