Intention and Wrongdoing: In Defense of Double Effect

The principle of double effect states that it is morally permissible to cause harm as a foreseen but non-intended side effect if it is done to promote a greater good. This idea is important in just war theory and international law but has been challenged by many moral philosophers. Joshua Stuchlik defends the principle and shows how it is linked to ethics, philosophy of action, and moral psychology.

Format: Hardback
Length: 220 pages
Publication date: 09 December 2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The principle of double effect, a fundamental moral concept, holds that it is strictly prohibited to intentionally cause severe harm to innocent individuals. However, in a broader range of circumstances, it is permissible to engage in actions that result in harm as a foreseen but unintended side effect. This idea holds significant importance in just war theory and international law, as well as in the twentieth-century debates surrounding consequentialism. Philosophers, however, have varying attitudes toward the principle, with some viewing it with hostility or suspicion. In response to this, Joshua Stuchlik presents a robust defense of the double effect principle, grounding it within a moral framework of human solidarity. He addresses philosophical objections to the concept and explores its connections to ethics, philosophy of action, and moral psychology. Stuchlik's study offers valuable insights into the moral relevance of intention and is of interest to anyone seeking to understand the intricacies of moral decision-making.

The principle of double effect, a fundamental moral concept, holds that it is strictly prohibited to intentionally cause severe harm to innocent individuals.

However, in a broader range of circumstances, it is permissible to engage in actions that result in harm as a foreseen but unintended side effect. This idea holds significant importance in just war theory and international law, as well as in the twentieth-century debates surrounding consequentialism. Philosophers, however, have varying attitudes toward the principle, with some viewing it with hostility or suspicion.

In response to this, Joshua Stuchlik presents a robust defense of the double effect principle, grounding it within a moral framework of human solidarity.

He addresses philosophical objections to the concept and explores its connections to ethics, philosophy of action, and moral psychology. Stuchlik's study offers valuable insights into the moral relevance of intention and is of interest to anyone seeking to understand the intricacies of moral decision-making.

Weight: 474g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781316516522
Edition number: New ed