scholarly journals Issue of the boundaries between good and evil in theological-moral discourse

2021 ◽  
pp. 155-173
Author(s):  
René Balák
Keyword(s):  
Reference Point ◽  
Fundamental Problem ◽  
Double Effect ◽  
Common Point ◽  
Ethical Analysis ◽  
Moral Discourse ◽  
Moral Dimension ◽  
Crucial Question ◽  
Principle Of Double Effect ◽  
Good And Evil

Hardly any problem in contemporary theological-moral discourse causes such turbulence as the searching, reflection, and demarcation of the boundaries between good and evil in human acting. A fundamental problem is a criterion or a reference point according to which a person could reliably determine what is good and evil. Divergent theological views in the theological-moral dimension seem to have caused the clear boundaries between good and evil to disappear. Therefore, the crucial question is whether there is still a universal criterion for theological evaluation of a human act, as the situation in theological-moral discourse resembles an areopagus of opinions that have no common point in distinguishing between good and evil. This reflection examines the possibility if the Thomistic ethical analysis of a human act, together with the principle of double effect, may be a reference point for the demarcation of these boundaries.

Palliative Sedation, Compassionate Extubation, and the Principle of Double Effect: An Ethical Analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 104990912199863
Author(s):  
Jordan Potter ◽  
Steven Shields ◽  
Renée Breen
Keyword(s):  
Medical Practice ◽  
Double Effect ◽  
Palliative Sedation ◽  
Ethical Analysis ◽  
Respiratory Drive ◽  
Clinical Scenario ◽  
Ethical Justification ◽  
Principle Of Double Effect ◽  
Life Sustaining Treatment

Palliative sedation is a well-recognized and commonly used medical practice at the end of life for patients who are experiencing refractory symptoms that cannot be controlled by other means of medical management. Given concerns about potentially hastening death by suppressing patients’ respiratory drive, traditionally this medical practice has been considered ethically justifiable via application of the ethical doctrine known as the Principle of Double Effect. And even though most recent evidence suggests that palliative sedation is a safe and effective practice that does not hasten death when the sedative medications are properly titrated, the Principle of Double Effect is still commonly utilized to justify the practice of palliative sedation and any risk—however small—it may entail of hastening the death of patients. One less common clinical scenario where the Principle of Double Effect may still be appropriate ethical justification for palliative sedation is when the practice of palliative sedation is pursued concurrently with the active withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment—particularly the practice of compassionate extubation. This case study then describes an unconventional case of palliative sedation with concurrent compassionate extubation where Principle of Double Effect reasoning was effectively employed to ethically justify continuing to palliatively sedate a patient during compassionate extubation.

scholarly journals Problemi morali nel trattamento della preeclampsia e della corioamnionite

2008 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio P. Faggioni
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Double Effect ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Alternative Solution ◽  
Ethical Point ◽  
Principle Of Double Effect ◽  
Catholic Tradition ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
Difficult Situations

Fra le patologie della gravidanza la corioamnionite e la preeclampsia rappresentano situazioni difficili sia dal punto di vista clinico sia dal punto di vista etico. L’articolo affronta con particolare attenzione il problema dell’anticipazione del parto prima che il feto abbia raggiunto la soglia della viabilità. Vengono esaminate le posizioni principali della Tradizione cattolica e le risposte a specifici quesiti date dal Sant’Uffizio tra la fine del XIX secolo e l’inizio del XX. L’Autore ritiene che l’applicazione del principio del duplice effetto a queste situazioni non sia del tutto convincente e propone una soluzione alternativa nella individuazione del solo bene possibile. ---------- Chorioamnionitis and preeclampsy represent difficult situations among pregnancy pathologies both from a clinical and from an ethical point of view. The article treats with particular attention the issue of induced preterm parturition before fetus has reached the threshold of viability. The main positions of the Catholic Tradition and the answers given by the Holy Office at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th are examined. The author believes that the application of the principle of double effect to such situations is non completely convincing and he proposes as an alternative solution the identification of the only possible good.

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