avsikt

Avsikt is a Swedish noun meaning intention, aim, or purpose. It denotes a mental state in which a person plans to bring about a future result. Avsikt is used to describe what someone intends to do, rather than merely what happens. It can refer to long-term goals as well as specific planned actions.

The word is native to Swedish and commonly appears in phrases such as med avsikt att (with the intention to) and utan avsikt (unintentionally). Related forms include avsiktlig or avsiktsfull (deliberate, intentional) and avsiktlighet (intentionality). In everyday language, avsikt often signals a conscious choice or plan behind an action, as opposed to chance or accident.

In law and philosophy, avsikt is contrasted with related concepts. In Swedish legal terminology uppsåt denotes the deliberate intention to commit a crime, while avsikt describes a broader plan or aim that may or may not meet the legal standard for mens rea. In philosophy and cognitive science, avsikt (often discussed as intentionalitet or intentionality) refers to the aboutness of mental states—their directedness toward objects, states of affairs, or goals. Examples: “Hans avsikt var att förbättra projektet genom noggrant ledarskap.” See also intention, purpose, aim, motive, deliberate action, and intentionality.