the Double Effect Principle

The Doctrine of Double Effect is a moral principle used to evaluate situations where an action has both good and harmful outcomes. It states that an action with a positive purpose can be ethically acceptable if the harm it causes is unintended, proportionate, and not the primary goal. For example, administering pain relief that may accelerate a patient's death can be justified if easing suffering is the main aim and the unintended harm is minimal. Essentially, it helps distinguish between intentionally causing harm and doing something good that might have an unintended negative side effect.