Mistake Theory is an ethical framework that conceives of outcomes resulting from decisions as the result of mistakes, either from the decision-maker or from aspects of the environment outside their control. In this way, it theoretically absolves decision-makers from moral responsibility since they are assumed to not have direct volitional control over any mistakes. It is a normative framework attempting to explore human decision-making in order to provide the most optimal and ethical outcomes. It advocates for taking a systemic perspective of one's environment, recognizing potentially emergent decision-making errors and devising a means to address and learn from them to avoid making similar ones in the future.

See also: decision making, conflict theory, collective action, confirmation bias, game theory