Legitimate Cooperation

Mediate Material Cooperation

Cooperator does not share the intentions of the principal agents and participates in circumstances that are not essential to the commission of the act

Formal cooperation

deliberate cooperation in an evil action or practice

where does legitimate cooperation come from

developed over the centuries by moral theologians in light of Catholic teaching on the morality of human acts

2 different forms of legitimate cooperation

formal and material

basic principle of legitimate cooperation

people should never do anything that is not morally permissible

material cooperation

the secondary agent does not will what the primary agent wills but reluctantly provides something to the action through an indirect intention

immediate material cooperation

when the action could not be performed without the help of the person assisting