Reply to Boyle's "Who is entitled to double effect?

Area of Science:

• Moral Philosophy
• Ethics
• Applied Ethics

Background:

• The Doctrine of Double Effect (DDE) is a principle used to evaluate the permissibility of actions that have both good and bad consequences.
• Previous interpretations, including Boyle's, have presented nuances regarding the DDE that warrant further clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To refine the understanding of the Doctrine of Double Effect (DDE) concerning direct versus indirect intentions.
• To address specific points raised by Boyle's (1991) interpretation of the author's DDE.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of moral intention and its relation to the Doctrine of Double Effect.
• Distinguishing between direct and indirect intentionality in ethical decision-making.

Main Results:

• Direct intention in DDE involves subordinating a victim to the agent's purposes, making them part of the strategy.
• Indirect intention affects the victim incidentally, not as an integral part of the agent's plan.
• Clarification that the DDE does not necessarily discriminate between "intentionally harming" and "incidentally harming" but focuses on the nature of the intention.

Conclusions:

• The core moral issue in direct intention under DDE is the victim's subordination within the agent's strategy.
• The author's DDE aims to avoid equating direct intention with "intentionally harming" as a distinct category from incidental harm.