If someone unwittingly commits an act that can be construed as 'evil'...?

Question

...does it count? Does intent trump outcome? Or is it the opposite?

Answer 1

Evil has to do with values and intent. If someone makes an error or is negligent then an action can't be considered evil to begin with.  

Answer 2

Evil is an intent, not an action. IF someone was willfuly negligent and it resulted in an evil act then i would say they are still evil (drinking and driving and killing someone in a car crash is a great example of this) If you put a cage with bunnies in it in the basement and it floods for the first time in 20 years thats not evil (unlike drowning bunnies for fun, which is evil)

Answer 3

What happened to the real Mutterhals? This foolish clone asking pseudo-Socratic questions is a fake.

Oh...what's that? This is the real Mutterhals? Okay then.

Now I see it: 'Shock' avatar picture, deep musings on the meaning of nothing.

No. I prefer quiet criticism, rather than spectacle.

Go on then. You take the floor and please your internet 'fans'. You crazy pop culture fool you.

Answer 4

The outcome is an accident; accidents are just that accidents.

When and only when someone intends on doing an evil act and does it; then, and only then is it evil.

Answer 5

Do the ends justify the means? sometimes, althought not when it comes to using people.

Answer 6

It counts, but it holds less weight than a premeditated evil act.

Thats why there are different degrees of murder charges.

See sources cited.

Answer 7

Intent does not trump outcome.

While the ends don't justify the means, it doesn't matter if you want to do good and end up doing evil.

"The road to h**l is paved with good intentions"

Answer 8

A majority of people have knowledge of the outcome of their actions.  The cause is equal to the outcome.  

Answer 9

I don't believe that you can unwittingly commit an act of evil.  Evil requires great intelligence - therefore, there is nothing unwitting about it.  Bad things can unwittingly happen, but not evil.

Answer 10

'Evil" is a moral value, so the intent should be the main factor in the evaluation.

Answer 11

No I think that is just an accident. Like if you step on a snail you didn't mean to, it was just there and you weren't paying attention. Evil must be intended.  

Answer 12

The term "evil" is used to describe something that society finds unthinkable.  I can't think of a single action that could be accidentally done which would be unthinkable by society's standards.