Intention, Character, and Double Effect

Lawrence Masek

• Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9780268104696
• eBook ISBN: 9780268104726
• Topic: Philosophy
• Subtopic: Ethics & Moral Philosophy

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.

Index

abortion, 144–46, 157, 163

absolutism

Catholic tradition and, 31

definition of, 26

label for, 26–27

moral dilemmas and, 28

PDE and, 27–30, 110, 182

source of, 30–31, 182

See also exceptionless rules

agency, direct vs. indirect, 167–69, 193–94, 199–200

agent-based definition of intended effects. See strict definition of intended effects

agents

corruption of, 13–15, 17–18, 21–22, 81–83, 130–31

effects, relation to, 19–20

judgments of, 76, 84–85, 195–96

perspective of, 34–35, 144, 170, 188–89

trolley cases and, 111–12, 116

victims, relation to, 129–30

See also character: intentions

alcoholic case, 18

allowing vs. doing, 28, 32–33

Anscombe, G. E. M.

bombing cases, 173–74

cave case, 59–60, 62–63

definition of intentions, 64

justification of PDE, 110

principle of side effects, 9

pumping water case, 60, 174–75

role in introducing PDE to secular Anglo-American philosophy, 173

under a description, 80–81

withdrawing child support case, 175–76

apologies, 85–86, 139

Aquinas, St. Thomas, 112, 121–22, 138–40, 171–72

arm-twisting case, 32–33, 188–89

assessments, 77

backsolving, 39, 64

See also Knobe effect

backpack case, 135–36

See also footbridge case

bank robbery cases, 43, 51, 63–64

Bennett, Jonathan, 83–84

bodily movements, 73, 79, 80–81, 86–87

bombing cases

explosion above a city case, 193–94

Hiroshima bombing, 172–73

Lewis bomber case, 193–94

midnight bombing case, 91–95

munitions grief case, 164–65, 196–97

Nagasaki bombing, 172–73

noon bombing, 91–95

overdetermined surrender case, 45–46, 191–92

Quinn and, 167–68, 193–94, 200

repopulated city case, 163–64

Scanlon and, 89–94

tactical bombings, 45, 83–84, 174

See also strategic bombing case; terror bombing case

Boyle, Joseph, 110, 170, 186–88

brain lesions, 132

bridge case. See footbridge case; rope bridge cases

bystander at the switch case. See switch case

bystander on the bridge. See footbridge case

cancer cases, 113

See also hysterectomy case

capital punishment. See executioner case

Cartesianism, 56, 170

Catholic tradition

craniotomy case and, 140–41, 178–79

PDE and, x, xii, 7, 31

See also Aquinas, St. Thomas; Gury, Jean Pierre

Cavanaugh, Thomas, 110

cave case

agent’s intention in, 49–51

Anscombe and, 59–60, 62–63, 175

Foot and, 37–38, 49, 179–80

cervical cancer. See hysterectomy case

chairman case. See Knobe effect

character

Catholic tradition and, xii, 31

corruption of, 13, 14–15, 17–19, 21, 81–85

intentions and, 19–24

Kantian rule and, 130–31

moral solipsism and, 17

parenting and, 9, 21, 83

PDE’s justification and, 12–15, 46, 62–63, 81–84, 148

chess, 13, 42, 44, 87–88, 133–34

children

desires of, 15

doll case, 82–83

envy cases, 4, 17–18, 22, 24, 125

intentions of, 40–41, 152

mumbled epithet case, 11–13, 16, 83

offensive toy case, 4, 11–13

See also parenting

Chisholm, Roderick, 187

closeness

Anscombe and, 59–60, 62–63

cave case and, 37–38, 59–60, 62–63, 179–80

craniotomy case and, 149, 152

definitions of, 41–42, 62

Foot and, 37–38, 59, 179–180

gerrymandering and appeals to, 54–55, 145

PDE’s justification and appeals to, 7, 62–64

problem of, 37–38, 59–64

repopulated city case and, 164, 199–200

sniper cases and, 63–64

stuttering case and, 42–43, 60–61, 186–87

trolley problem and appeals to, 119

See also di...

Table of contents

• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• One The Rational Basis of the Principle of Double Effect
• Two An Agent-Based Definition of Intended Effects
• Three The Strongest Objection to the Principle of Double Effect
• Four Trolley Cases and an Objection from Neuroscience and Moral Psychology
• Five Hard Cases in Medicine and War
• Appendix: Case Summaries
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Index