Humanities

Double Effect Principle

Guideline for determining when it is morally permissible to perform an action to pursue a good end with knowledge that the action will also bring about bad results. It generally states that, in cases where a contemplated action has such double effect, the action is permissible only if: it is not wrong in itself; the bad result is not intended; the good result is not a direct causal result of the bad result; and the good result is proportionate to the bad result. (from Solomon, Double Effect, in Becker, The Encyclopedia of Ethics, 1992)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

Guideline for determining when it is morally permissible to perform an action to pursue a good end with knowledge that the action will also bring about bad results. It generally states that, in cases where a contemplated action has such double effect, the action is permissible only if: it is not wrong in itself; the bad result is not intended; the good result is not a direct causal result of the bad result; and the good result is proportionate to the bad result. (from Solomon, Double Effect, in Becker, The Encyclopedia of Ethics, 1992)

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Classification

Broader headings

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See Also

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Synonyms

12 entry terms
  • Doctrine of Double Effect
  • Double Effect Doctrine
  • Double Effect Rule
  • Principle of Double Effect
  • Rule of Double Effect
  • Doctrine, Double Effect
  • Effect Doctrine, Double
  • Effect Principle, Double
  • Effect Rule, Double
  • Principle, Double Effect
  • Principles, Double Effect
  • Rule, Double Effect

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

note category; use only in the context of ethics

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History Note

2009 (2003); use ETHICS 2002

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Previous Indexing

  • Ethics (1979-2002)
  • Ethics, Medical (1997-2002)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. K01w.752w.566w.479w.101w
  2. N05.350w.238w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Double Effect Principle. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D034723. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D034723
  2. Double Effect Principle. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_double_effect
  3. Double Effect Principle. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1423147