I couldn't remember which Razor it was, so I couldn't check easily. I think I also picked up the reword of ignorance from seeing it frequently paraphrased.
Looking into it now, both wikipedia and infogalactic are using a "never" in the text. But your underlying point is correct; people still use it to deny the possibility of malice.
Infogalactic's page has an amusing addition: "Schneider's Corollary asserts that Hanlon's razor must always be inverted (i.e., so that evil is to be assumed where idiocy is witnessed) in any situation involving politics or other form of social control."
Aye, not saying you're wrong, just providing an actual source, as we know that Wikipedia is pozzed.
In 1774 the major German literary figure Johann Wolfgang von Goethe published “Die Leiden des Jungen Werthers” (“The Sorrows of Young Werther”) which included a statement that thematically matched the adage under investigation. An English language translation 3 follows the German text: 4
Und ich habe, mein Lieber! wieder bey diesem kleinen Geschäfte gefunden: daß Mißverständnisse und Trägheit vielleicht mehr Irrungen in der Welt machen als List und Bosheit nicht thun. Wenigstens sind die beyden letztern gewiß seltner.
And I have again observed, my dear friend, in this trifling affair, that misunderstandings and neglect occasion more mischief in the world than even malice and wickedness. At all events, the two latter are of less frequent occurrence.
And yes, I'd rather assume evil intent and be pleased it was only neglect/idiocy than expect neglect/idiocy to find out too late, it was evil intent.
I couldn't remember which Razor it was, so I couldn't check easily. I think I also picked up the reword of ignorance from seeing it frequently paraphrased.
Looking into it now, both wikipedia and infogalactic are using a "never" in the text. But your underlying point is correct; people still use it to deny the possibility of malice.
Infogalactic's page has an amusing addition: "Schneider's Corollary asserts that Hanlon's razor must always be inverted (i.e., so that evil is to be assumed where idiocy is witnessed) in any situation involving politics or other form of social control."
Aye, not saying you're wrong, just providing an actual source, as we know that Wikipedia is pozzed.
In 1774 the major German literary figure Johann Wolfgang von Goethe published “Die Leiden des Jungen Werthers” (“The Sorrows of Young Werther”) which included a statement that thematically matched the adage under investigation. An English language translation 3 follows the German text: 4
Und ich habe, mein Lieber! wieder bey diesem kleinen Geschäfte gefunden: daß Mißverständnisse und Trägheit vielleicht mehr Irrungen in der Welt machen als List und Bosheit nicht thun. Wenigstens sind die beyden letztern gewiß seltner.
And I have again observed, my dear friend, in this trifling affair, that misunderstandings and neglect occasion more mischief in the world than even malice and wickedness. At all events, the two latter are of less frequent occurrence.
And yes, I'd rather assume evil intent and be pleased it was only neglect/idiocy than expect neglect/idiocy to find out too late, it was evil intent.
Only one of them can be corrected.