Some believe that anti-terrorist activities that lead to operational excesses may nevertheless be morally justified under the principle of "double effect," meaning ______.

A) an unintended but unforeseen morally bad effect of an action can be excused if both the action and the intended effect are morally impermissible
B) an unintended but unforeseen morally bad effect of an action can be excused if both the action and the intended effect are morally permissible
C) the activities are morally permissible if they produce two effects,so long as one is morally permissible.
D) the activities are only morally impermissible if they produce two effects,both of which are morally impermissible

Question

Angela Segura · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : B, Explanation :  The principle of double effect holds that an action that has both a good and bad effect may be permissible if the following criteria are met: the action itself is morally permissible or required, the good effect is intended, and the bad effect is an unintended but foreseen consequence. Therefore, the answer is (B) an unintended but unforeseen morally bad effect of an action can be excused if both the action and the intended effect are morally permissible.

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