1. Principle of Double Effect
St. Thomas Aquinas

2. Can you ever do evil to achieve a good?

3. Four things must be present
Act (end) must be good in itself or at least morally indifferent (amoral)
The good intended must not be obtained by means of the evil effect, but must happen at the same time and be directly willed
The evil means in only indirectly willed or done
A good end doesn’t justify an evil means
It can only permit it to happen at the same time as the good end

4. The evil effect must not be intended (intent) for itself, but only permitted.
It must be merely a byproduct of the act performed.
If you want this bad effect, it becomes directly intended and the act is evil.

5. There must be a proportionately grave reason for permitting the evil effect
The good and evil should at least be nearly equivalent
If there is any other way to get the good end without the evil, it must be taken
Test: take away the evil can the good end happen?

6. Crisis on the River .