Chapter 04 of 5
The Moral Architecture
The Double Effect and why the brain differentiates intent from result.
- The Core Paradox
Outcome vs. Method
If the outcome is always five lives saved, why does the method change our moral comfort? The answer lies in the architecture of intent.
- Historical Root
The Double Effect
Rooted in the work of Thomas Aquinas, this principle explains how one action can have two results: one intended and one merely foreseen.
- Mechanism
Direct vs. Indirect
Moral permissibility often hinges on whether the harm is a direct means to an end or a side effect of a good act.
17 more cards in this chapter
Could you answer this?
According to the Doctrine of Double Effect, why is the 'Switch' scenario generally more acceptable than the 'Bridge'?
🚃 The Trolley Problem: The Math of Morality
- 01The Switch: Origin of ChoicePhilippa Foot’s 1967 dilemma and the logic of Utilitarianism.
- 02The Bridge: The Pushing PointJudith Jarvis Thomson’s variant that shatters simple math.
- 03Deontology vs. UtilityThe theoretical war between Immanuel Kant and Jeremy Bentham.
- 04The Moral ArchitectureThe Double Effect and why the brain differentiates intent from result.
- 05Algorithms of Life and DeathApplying moral theory to AI, self-driving cars, and triage.