Intentions: Do they matter to you, yes or no?

Post Reply New Topic

Do intentions matter and how much? I know some people who think intentions don't even matter because all that matters is behavior. That's ridiculous to me. But what do you guys think?

Intentions do matter, but they're not some kind of magic wand that will erase hurt feelings. If you do something hurtful to someone else, you should usually apologize even if you had good intentions.

Intent doesn't matter, except in a legal sense - legal standards in the U.S. of A. recognize degrees of intent when the death of a victim is induced by outside forces, for example. However, if someone gives me a bag full of money, all that matters to me how much money is in the bag, not why they've given it to me.

Are they easing their social conscience for all of the bad things they've done? Okay.

Are they buying me off so that I won't rat them out? Fine.

Are they paying me back (with interest) so that I don't put a lien on their house? Cool!

Are they gifting me with all of their surplus cash? Great!

All that matters to me is that I have a bag full of money that no one else can lay claim to.

Of course intent and context matter

they are a factor, and like other factors to a situation they can either outweigh everything else, or can be outweighed by something else. Thus there is no absolute yes or no.