Final answer:
The term malice refers to the intention to cause harm to another person without legal justification, which is a form of hostile aggression. It can involve physical evil like bodily harm or mental distress and metaphysical evil, representing imperfections and the element of chance in suffering.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term malice pertains to a person's desire to inflict pain, injury, or distress upon another individual. It is characterized by the intention to commit harmful acts without legal justification.
Malice can manifest in various forms, such as physical evil, like bodily harm or mental anguish experienced through situations like fear, illness, grief, or war. Another aspect is metaphysical evil, which includes the imperfection and randomness of suffering, such as criminals not being punished or physical deformities occurring by chance.
Aggression is a related concept where individuals behave with the intent to cause harm or pain. It can take the form of hostile aggression, which is driven by anger and aims to cause pain, similar to someone's actions in a bar fight.
Conversely, instrumental aggression is driven by specific objectives rather than the intent to cause pain, such as the actions of a contract killer. Malice can be seen as a form of hostile aggression, involving deliberate harmful intent towards others.