Question

An application to Natural Law theory today is by the use of a principle called the "Principle of Double-Effect." The following are some conditions of the "Principle of Double-Effect," except:

A. The act is morally permissible or the act is morally good in itself.

B. The act's bad effect is not the means by which the good effect is attained.

C. The good effect must bring about the good of greatest number of people.

D. The good effect is proportionate to the bad effect.

Answer 1

Option C ('The good effect must bring about the good of greatest number of people') is not a condition of the Principle of Double-Effect but rather a principle associated with Utilitarianism, which is distinct from Natural Law Theory.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Principle of Double-Effect is a concept in Natural Law Theory that is applied to assess the morality of actions that have both good and bad effects. The conditions of this principle include: (A) The act itself must be morally good or at least morally neutral. (B) The bad effect cannot be the means by which one achieves the good effect. (C) The intent must be for the good effect, with the bad effect being an unintended side effect. (D) A proportionality must exist between the good and bad effects — the good must outweigh the bad.

Looking at the options provided, option C, 'The good effect must bring about the good of greatest number of people', does not accurately represent the Principle of Double-Effect. Instead, it aligns more closely with the ethical theory known as Utilitarianism, which measures the morality of an action based on its capacity to bring about the most pleasure or happiness for the greatest number of people.