Can you name a moral theory that focuses on intentions?

Answer 1

The details of moral theories are not my area of expertise, but I am sure that somebody will come along soon with some juicy morsels.

Most moral theories focus on intentions, as to do otherwise would render acts which were meant to be good as bad. For example, seeing somebody drop a wallet and handing it in at a police station would be a good intention. But if the contents of the wallet revealed to the Desk Sergeant that his new Constable was, in fact, an internal investigator gathering evidence for the Sergeant's corruption, then the outcome would be bad. However, the intention was not to aid a corrupt policeman, so while the result was bad, the intention was good: thus the person cannot be said to have been morally bad under most moral codes.

Some moral codes also include ones thoughts as intentions. They say that if you think something then that is as bad as doing it, even though one cannot help ones own thoughts.

It also depends what you mean by "intentions". Again, some moral codes focus on the interaction between people and the harm or good it causes, while other codes try to dictate what what two consenting adults can do whilst alone together, and harming nobody else. Some codes even extend this to dictate what one can do when totally alone, with no intention to harm anything or anyone.

Jainism has a rather nice central code: "do nothing to intentionally hurt or harm any other living thing". The Jains have had some trouble with that, though, since germ theory and antibiotics were discovered.

Most moral codes, however, reflect not the original teachings or writings (or whatever created them), but the attitude of the person who subscribes. Thus: a Christian, a Muslim, a Jew, a Hindu, a Humanist, and a Buddhist may all subscribe to the same moral code but call it different things and believe (or not) in gods of various types.

Answer 2

Most moral theories focus on intentions, as they are regarded as the important factor.

For example, if you were to see somebody dropping their wallet, and you picked it up, ran after them, and gave it back to them, your intention would be good and moral. If it turned out that they were an undercover cop deliberately getting rid of their ID to prevent their cover being blown, then it would turn out that your (good) intentions actually had a bad effect.

This does not mean that your act was immoral, because your intentions were good. It was just bad luck.

There are some exceptions. Many sects of Christianty (for example Catholocism) teach that if your intention is to be a good person, hurt nobody else, and to love your partner and remain faithful, then you are a good person if you are hetreosexual, but a bad person if you are homosexual. Your intentions, therefore, are irrelevant in that instance, and your sexuality is what determines if you are good.

Many people regard this (and similar religious teachings) as immoral.

Answer 3

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions".