Abstract

Abstract St Thomas Aquinas, in discussing killing in self-defence, remarks that one and the same action may have two effects, one of them intended, and the other beside the intention. Later Catholic theologians developed from this a doctrine of double effect, stated as follows by John of St Thomas. If an act, not evil in itself, has both good and bad effects, then it may be permissible if (1) the evil effect is not intended; (2) the good effect is not produced by means of the bad; (3) on balance, the good done outweighs the harm.

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