Double Effect

The problem of abortion remains a quagmire in the minds of philosophers, religious leaders and even ordinary citizens. Especially when the rights of the unborn child and those of an adult are the subjects of interest. This has resulted in sharp disagreements between individuals and religion doctrines. For instance, Catholics often invoke the principle of double effect to support their view on abortion. This has sparked sharp criticism from their counterparts who feel that it’s unfair to decide the fate of an innocent child as we all have equal rights to this magnificent gift of life. When confronted with such convincing yet distinct modes of perception there is only one expected outcome, dilemma (pa Foot, 2010, 170). The doctrine of the double

He further insists on the importance of distinguishing between avoiding injury and bringing aid as these are the most critical factors in discerning the moral grounds of numerous cases that leave us in a dilemma (pa Foot, 2010, 170). The Author is not for or against the doctrine of double effect but rather he attempts to shade light on a controversy that surrounds this principle. He criticizes the theory and shows how it can be applied in a meaningful way and also how it can be

This ultimately implies that in such a situation the mother becomes the priority and not the foetus. Thus, the medical practitioner should do all that it takes to save the mother’s life. Whether it’s by merciful killing of the foetus or by crushing its skull, after all the unborn child will eventually die while the mother can give birth again (pa Foot, 2010, 185). From my personal assessment of the argument, abortion should not be permitted. However, on medical grounds where the life of the mother and the child and that of the foetus are at stake, it would be prudent to give higher priority to the safety of the mother as opposed to the foetus. On the basis of Utilitarianism, the mother has greater utility than he foetus in terms of her ability to reproduce again (Mill, 2010, 26). On the other hand as saving the foetus might be as well be insignificant as even its survival rate are not as