A Topic of Moral Theology
The principle of double effect
When an action with a good and a bad effect may be performed: the four conditions.
The works themselves ask 6 questions under this heading — see them together with their answers.
In the index as Voluntary · Cause · Effects · Effect · Bad effects of an action · Culpability · Double effect · Impudicity · Imputability · Imputability of human acts · Killing · Malice · Permission · Principle of double effect · Requisite Conditions · Act · Aggregation theory of civil power · Autocentric and heterocentric · Blasphemy · Circumstances of act · Consent · Conversation · Conversations · Danger
In the manuals
Read the manuals side by side → — each work's whole treatment in its own column
A Manual of Moral Theology for English-Speaking Countries
Vol. I, Bk. I, Chapter II. Voluntary Acts, n. 4 — In order to provide a general rule of conduct in such circumstances, divines have formulated what is known as the principle of a double effect. That principle may be enunciated as follows: It is lawful to perform an acti… Read in context →
Vol. I, Bk. VI, Pt. V, Chapter IV. Killing the Innocent, n. 2 — The death of the innocent may be permitted, not intended, when it follows from some action lawful in itself which also produces an equally immediate and good effect, and when this counterbalances the evil effect. This, a… Read in context →
Institutions of Moral Theology (Institutiones Theologiae Moralis)
Vol. I, On Human Acts, I. On the Nature of the Human Act, nn. 35, 36 & 37 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)
Compendium of Moral Theology of Fr. John Peter Gury, S.J., with the Notes of Antonio Ballerini, S.J.
Vol. I, Treatise on Human Acts, Ch. II, Art. I, § II. On the Voluntary in Particular, n. 9 (9 passages — hover a number to read it)
Manuale Theologiae Moralis
Vol. I, Pt. I, Tr. II, Ch. II, Art. II, § 2. On The Indirect Voluntary Or Voluntary In The Cause, nn. ¶31, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 & 62 (7 passages — hover a number to read it)
Summa Theologiae Moralis
Vol. I, General Moral Theology, Treatise: On Human Acts in…, First Part: On Human Acts …, Section A: On the Conditio…, Ch. I, Question One: On the Volun…, Article III: On the Voluntary in Itself and in Cause, nn. ¶1, 62, 63 & 64 (21 passages — hover a number to read it)
Vol. I, General Moral Theology, Treatise: On Human Acts in…, Second Part: On Human Acts…, Section B: On the Morality…, Question III: On the Goodness and Malice of the External Effect, nn. 173 & 177 (20 passages — hover a number to read it)
Institutiones Morales Alphonsianae
Vol. I, Part First: On the First P…, Tr. III, Appendix: On Good Acts, Art. II, § 2. On the Morality of an Indirectly Voluntary Effect, nn. ¶313, ¶314 & ¶315 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)
Pastoral Questions
Merkelbach, Pastoral Questions, II. Questions Concerning E…, I. Pastoral Questions Rega…, Question Two: Concerning Actions Harmful to Human Life or Integrity — Theological Principles, nn. ¶818, ¶819, ¶820, ¶821, ¶822 & ¶823 (6 passages — hover a number to read it)
Compendium of Moral Theology
Vol. I, Tr. I, Ch. II, Article II. On the Indirect Voluntary, or Voluntary in Cause, nn. 6, 7, 8 & 9 (4 passages — hover a number to read it)
Cases of Conscience for English-Speaking Countries, Volume I
Slater, Cases I, Human Acts, Case 4. Principle of a Double Effect, nn. ¶1–¶14 (14 passages)
Moral Philosophy: Ethics, Deontology and Natural Law
Pt. III, Ch. II, Sect. I, Direct and Indirect, nn. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 (7 passages — hover a number to read it)
Pt. III, Ch. II, Section II. Of Killing done Indirectly in Self-defence, nn. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 (7 passages — hover a number to read it)
Treated under the broader heading Voluntariety and Free Choice — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology · Bucceroni, Commentaries on Human Acts · Bucceroni, Cases of Conscience · Tanquerey · Vermeersch, Theologia Moralis · Konings, Theologia Moralis · Coppens, Moral Philosophy — these works do not divide the matter as finely as we do here, so their treatment stands one heading up (ed.)