Times Skimmer by The New York Times

Times Skimmer by The New York Times: "The medical profession still treats its role as an art as much as a science, relying on philosophical principles like The Rule of Double Effect. Under this rule, attributed to the 13th century Roman Catholic philosopher Thomas Aquinas, even if there is a foreseeable bad outcome, like death, it is acceptable if it is unintended and outweighed by an intentional good outcome — the relief of unyielding suffering before death. The principle has been applied to ethical dilemmas in realms from medicine to war, and it is one of the few universal standards on how end-of-life sedation should be carried out."