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I did not intend to harm the victim; it was an accident.
Since to the authorities I appear to have been
sober and to have been driving at a reasonable speed,
I am not held. Responsibility for the injury is not
mine, since there was no intent to harm on my part,
nor culpable carelessness.

Motive is that which moves or impels us to do a
certain act. True murders are all intentional acts,
but are committed for a variety of motives e.g.,
jealousy, robbery, revenge, mutiny, political aims.

In criminal cases, investigative procedure often
attends to possible motive. Y had a large insurance
policy which X was the beneficiary, so X had a possible
motive for killing Y.

But in the courtroom emphasis is on intent and
consequences. Is the victim dead? Was it done with
intent (means rea; "malice aforethought") or was it an
accident? If with intent, was the act premeditated,
planned in advance, or was it committed in the heat of
passion with no premeditation?

Absence of bad results or consequences may diminish
but not wipe out legal (and moral?) guilt³. Attempted
murder is judged a serious crime, though the ordinary
penalty is not as great as if the attempt had been
successful.]

We may illustrate Kant's criterion of moral worth by the
following example: We hear of a man giving a large sum to a
worthy charity. The results are good: misery is relieved and
people are helped. We have been led to believe that the donor
gave the money from a sense of duty, because he believed he
was doing the right thing for the sake of the right. Now
suppose we discover that the donor gave the money in order
to make a favorable adjustment on his income tax. Results
still good, we might say, though our opinion of the moral
worth of the man who gave may decline. Kant would say

³The moral teaching of Jesus as related in the New Testament
often stress the importance of motive, consequences being
considered secondary. "You have heard that it was said by them
of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you
that whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her, has committed
adultery with her already in his heart." (Mat. 5:27-28) Yet
he also said "By their fruits you shall know them," seeming to
recognize the importance of consequences. (Mat. 7:20)

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