Wrongness

Wrongness refers to the lack of normative adequacy in actions, beliefs, or propositions, typically described as contrary to standards or duties. In everyday usage, moral wrongness is most common: an act is considered morally wrong if it violates ethical duties, rights, or values.

Epistemic wrongness concerns false beliefs, misleading statements, or errors in justification. Logical wrongness involves invalid arguments or contradictions.

Philosophical discussions ask whether wrongness is mind-independent (moral realism) or dependent on attitudes, cultures, or systems (anti-realism). Substantive theories include deontology (duty-based wrongness for violating duties), consequentialism (wrongness from outcomes), and virtue ethics (wrongness from character deviation).

Some approaches distinguish act wrongness from agent wrongness, or essential wrongness from permissible exceptions. Wrongness often involves intent, foreseeability of harm, and rights violations; however, debates question whether intent is necessary, how to weigh harms, and whether social norms suffice to ground wrongness.

The concept also bears on responsibility, blame, and punishment. A person may commit a morally wrong act that is legal, or legally wrong but morally neutral or acceptable; wrongness is not identical to illegality. See also morality, ethics, normative ethics, epistemology, logic, rights, justice.