Apparently evil acts can spring from genuine moral conviction

Evidence

And if it is true that in the final stages of totalitarianism an absolute evil appears (absolute because it can no longer be deduced from humanly comprehensible motives), it is also true that without it we might never have known the truly radical nature of Evil. — Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, 13 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Evil acts require egregious excess even when instrumental purpose exists; People assume evil acts reveal an enduring core of evil in the actor; People who commit atrocities genuinely believe they are acting morally. — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 2121 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Absolute evil is evil detached from any humanly comprehensible motive #complicates (0.82) — Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, 13