No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

What If a Crime Has an Upside?

Legal theorists have long struggled to come up with a coherent account of culpability. Are criminals punished for their intentions, or their actions, or for causing harm? This lesson bursts into the discussion with three real-life cases that share a common feature: a criminal whose malicious actions result in an unplanned positive outcome for the intended victim. Drawing on biblical and Talmudic literature, we consider the interplay between these elements -- intention, action, and outcome -- in law, ethics, and life.