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Principle of
Double Effect
Physical vs Moral Evil
A person is morally permitted to do an act
which has both a good and an evil effect
if there is no other way to get the good effect
and if the following conditions are met:
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Direct abortion is always morally evil.
Indirect abortion may be morally permitted
if all of the conditions of the
Principle of Double Effect are met.
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2263 The legitimate defense of persons and societies is not an
exception to the prohibition against the murder of the innocent that
constitutes intentional killing. "The act of self-defense can have a
double effect: the preservation of one's own life; and the killing of the
aggressor.... The one is intended, the other is not."[65]
2264 Love toward oneself remains a fundamental principle of morality.
Therefore it is legitimate to insist on respect for one's own right to life.
Someone who defends his life is not guilty of murder even if he is
forced to deal his aggressor a lethal blow:
If a man in self-defense uses more than necessary violence, it will be
unlawful: whereas if he repels force with moderation, his defense will
be lawful.... Nor is it necessary for salvation that a man omit the act of
moderate self-defense to avoid killing the other man, since one is
bound to take more care of one's own life than of another's.[65]
2265 Legitimate defense can be not only a right but a grave duty for
someone responsible for another's life. Preserving the common good
requires rendering the unjust aggressor unable to inflict harm. To this
end, those holding legitimate authority have the right to repel by armed
force aggressors against the civil community entrusted to their
charge.[66]
Two modern ethical systems:

Consequentialism:
determines the moral quality of an act based solely
on the foreseeable consequences of the act.

Proportionalism:
determines the moral quality of an
act based on the proportion between
good and evil effects which come
from the act.
good
effects
bad
effects
St. Joseph Hospital, Phoenix, AZ
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Mother
• 11 weeks pregnant
• Suffering from pulmonary hypertension, which
limits the ability of the heart and lungs to function
and is made worse, possibly even fatal, by
pregnancy.
• Baby’s death approved by Sister Margaret, vice
president of mission integration and member of the
ethics committee

Bishop Olmsted:
– “An unborn child is not a disease. While medical
professionals should certainly try to save a pregnant
mother’s life, the means by which they do it can never
be by directly killing her unborn child. The end does
not justify the means.”
– If a Catholic formally cooperates in an abortion, he or
she is automatically excommunicated.

Ethical and Religious Directives for
Catholic Health Care:
– Abortion is defined as the directly intended termination
of pregnancy, and it is not permitted under any
circumstances – even to save the life of the mother.
– “Operations, treatments and medications that have as
their direct purpose the cure of a proportionately
serious pathological condition of a pregnant woman are
permitted … even if they will result in the death of the
unborn child.”
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Hospital’s reply:
– “If there had been a way to save the pregnancy and still
prevent the death of the mother, we would have done it.
We are convinced there was not.”
Moral principles:

A good end does not justify an evil means.
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Avoid moral evil at all costs.