Generally, which should MATTER most, the INTENTION, the ACTION, or the RESULT?

Answer 1

That depends on the situation. Ideally, the intention should matter most, because if someone means well they should be given credit for that, and if they mean ill they should be held responsible for it. But if the result outweighs the intention, that's not always the case, especially if there is a negative outcome that results from ignorance.

If you are trying to help someone, and you end up hurting them by accident, you are still accountable for the harm you caused. You shouldn't be judged as harshly as if you had done harm on purpose, but you are not excused from responsibility because your intentions were good.

Answer 2

The action should matter the most. However, in my opinion
the majority of society would probably state that the result
matters the most.

Intent is only measurable on a purely individual self-reflective
level. Only the individual with the intent truly knows what
their own intent is. Therefore, it is possible that the intent
can matter the most to the individual themself, but it is
illogical for the intent to matter the most to society because
society has no means for measuring the true intent.

Result can occur by chance. Therefore, it is unreliable to
state that it matters the most because it is unstable.
The result is obtained from the action, not the action
is obtained from the result. If someone does something
harmful which inadvertently produces a beneficial result,
a reward isn't handed to the individual who performed
a harmful action.

Actions relation to result is causality. If someone does
something beneficial regardless of whether it produces
a beneficial result or not, the individual deserves reward.
How can an individual perform a beneficial action which
doesn't produce a beneficial result? If a significant number
of other individuals perform in such a way that the benefits
gained from the beneficial action are outweighed by
the detrimental results produced by the detrimental actions.
Therefore, beneficial action doesn't require beneficial result
in order to matter the most.

Answer 3

I won't peek! Intention. That's where it all starts. Intention=action=result. If the intention is well thought out, the result will hopefully be positive, but that wasn't your question. We need a motivator for action, the result can be quite unpredictable. The result matters, of course. Yet since it's often, as I said, unpredictable, how could it matter most? It's the end result of an intention...& action....

Edit: I have now "peeked" at the answers. I assumed that action followed intention. I didn't think this was a discourse on the possibility of "bad" results, or, of "bad intentions. & so, I maintain, that intentions ("bad" or "good") matter most.

Last edit! shahriza--I don't think "intention" is ever a guarantee of a positive result. The "desired" result. Thus, result is the result of an intention put into action with unpredictable results. STOP ME, someone!

Answer 4

All of the Above.....

People can have good Intentions and go about it the right way, but have a bad result... and then you hear people say " well, they meant well " ---Result matters---

Or...

You hear " No harm, No Foul " When someone does something and they didn't mean to do anything wrong, but it happened anyways... There was no " Intention " to do anything, but the action and the result were wrong.... ---Intention matters---

So, " Intention " doesn't need to be there to have a result. You don't need to have a reason or purpose to have a result. ( You do nothing, is being unproductive, which is a result of someone not doing anything. ) Not doing anything sometimes can be wrong and that's an intention of not wanting to get involved.... and that's an action that is only a decision. ---Action matters---

Someone can have bad intentions and go about it ( action ) in a hurtful way, but for what ever reason, whether luck or coincidence it turned out to be a good result for some reason... that doesn't make the whole scenario right.

They all go hand-in-hand.

Answer 5

This is a tough one. You could argue from all three sides, actually.

I'd pick RESULT, really. Because for me, in a lot of times, RESULT affects CHANGE.

It would mean the difference between going up or down the table of a football league for a team or club

It would mean the difference between getting the next building job or not for architects or builders

It would mean the difference between getting into college and university or not for students

It would mean the difference between getting that job interview or not

Imagine how it the world would have been if the previous World Wars were won by the other side?

When would a person on a diet be happier, after losing the weight or during the process that lead to it? It would mean the difference between being able to wear that dress or not.

Have you ever heard of the saying that goes something like, "...it doesn't matter the route, as long as you reach the destination?"

I know that intentions and working towards a goal is important. But if you don't get the desired results in the end, would the former two really matter at all?

Answer 6

Suppose there were three killings

One a crazed killer
One a man protecting himself
One a Cop protecting others

The results all the same they all killed someone
The action was the same-all with a gun-all shot to kill
The intention is different though-one wanted to kill for some bizarre reason (crazed killer) . One did it out of fear for his own life (man protecting himself) One to save others (cop)

What matters most in these cases is how you look at it. -Someone is dead, . All killed. All had an intent.
What would matter to me most in this case is Why-not the results or the action but the intent why--that would mean the most to me on how I would feel about these deaths..
Others just might look at the results and feel 3 are dead that is what matters (although I would think they would still wonder about why wouldn't they-so that thought is still there--which would make all equally guilty of equal reasons and justification--not sure that would be correct)
Others might just say action -take all guns away (but again they would feel for the man protecting himself would they not?)

I don't think anyone could look at Three bodies and not wonder further on how and why. Or see three shot victims and only think of the action only and thoughts going no further.
So my answer would be Intent matters the most with results a close follow up. """If I reverse that, and say results after all that is the end of it all -- than it wouldn't matter why all would be equally guilty with no reason behind it. All inexcusable-not sure that would be the "truth"-----"""""" I think most would see that it does matter the intent at least in this situation here.

Answer 7

The result. No matter what happens before it, the result is the crap that you have to deal with. If it's a good result, THEN you can sit back and reminisce on the intention and the action. But if the result is a huge problem, then it becomes the intent for another solution...hopefully. Otherwise, it is just horrible crap that haunts you until you either solve it or it solves itself.

Hey, I remember you! You're the person with 500 questions!

Answer 8

I would say that the intention matters most. Because the intention is what initiates the action and in turn, causes the result. Everything starts with the intention.

Answer 9

1/ Cartesian way of seeing things.

Result.( 100%)
You can have the best intentions in the world and do the most courageous and generous actions if you do not have the results , you have failed.

2/Self achievement
Result.
You still have the best intentions in the world and still do the most courageous and generous actions but do no reach the ultimate results you have expected it's still a failure but
You will have accomplished steps to obtain those results.You have win something.
To resume what is important to my op pinion is the result whatever it is 100% or less than 100 % , what you have achieved is always a benefit.

Answer 10

The Result. Is like the laws.
A good intention without an action is useless.
An action without the correct intention can ended in a incorrect result.
A good intention with a good action will end in a good result.

Peace.