Morality and the Categorical Imperative – 25 Top Kant Quotes

1. "Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law."

This is the most famous formulation of the categorical imperative, which demands that moral actions must be capable of being universalized without contradiction.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section II)

2. "So act that you use humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end, never merely as a means."

In this formulation, Kant emphasizes the inherent dignity of individuals, arguing that people should never be treated as tools for achieving someone else’s goals but respected as ends in themselves.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section II)

3. "There is, therefore, but one categorical imperative, namely, this: act only on that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law."

Kant repeats his central idea that moral actions must be universally applicable, reinforcing the non-conditional nature of moral duty.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section II)

4. "The moral law is nothing other than the law of freedom."

Kant links morality to human freedom, arguing that true freedom consists in acting according to moral law, rather than being driven by mere inclinations or desires.
(Critique of Practical Reason, Part I, Book I, Chapter I)

5. "Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the oftener and more steadily we reflect on them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me."

Kant highlights the profound sense of wonder evoked by both the natural world and the inner moral law, underscoring the significance of morality in human life.
(Critique of Practical Reason, Conclusion)

6. "The will is therefore not merely subject to the law, but subject in such a way that it must be viewed as also giving the law to itself."

Kant argues that autonomy is central to morality: the moral law is not externally imposed but arises from the rational will itself, making us both the creators and subjects of moral law.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section II)

7. "An action done from duty has its moral worth, not in the purpose to be attained by it, but in the maxim according to which it is determined."

Kant emphasizes that moral actions are determined by adherence to duty, not by the outcomes they produce, making intention central to moral worth.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section I)

8. "Duty is the necessity of acting out of reverence for the law."

Kant defines duty as acting not from personal desires or inclinations, but from respect for the moral law, which binds the will universally.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section I)

9. "Morality is not properly the doctrine of how we may make ourselves happy, but how we may make ourselves worthy of happiness."

Kant separates morality from the pursuit of happiness, arguing that moral worth is about acting according to duty, not securing personal well-being.
(Critique of Practical Reason, Part I, Book II, Chapter II)

10. "A good will is not good because of what it effects or accomplishes, but good in itself."

Kant argues that moral goodness lies in the will itself, which acts out of duty and respect for the moral law, regardless of the consequences.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section I)

11. "The practical imperative will therefore be as follows: Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end, never merely as a means."

Kant underscores the moral obligation to respect the dignity of others and oneself, reinforcing the importance of treating individuals as ends in themselves.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section II)

12. "For an action to be morally good, it is not enough that it should conform to the moral law—it must also be done for the sake of the moral law."

Kant insists that moral actions must not only follow the law but must also be motivated by respect for the law, highlighting the importance of moral intention.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section I)

13. "Autonomy of the will is the property of the will by which it is a law to itself."

Kant defines autonomy as the capacity of the rational will to generate moral laws for itself, in contrast to heteronomy, where the will is determined by external forces.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section II)

14. "To be free is nothing but to be subject to the laws of one's own making."

Kant argues that true freedom consists in self-legislation according to the moral law, meaning that freedom and morality are intertwined.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section II)

15. "The worthiness to be happy is the proper condition of moral goodness."

Kant distinguishes between happiness and the moral worth of actions, suggesting that one’s worthiness to be happy is determined by adherence to moral duty.
(Critique of Practical Reason, Part I, Book II, Chapter II)

16. "The categorical imperative would be that which represented an action as objectively necessary of itself, without reference to another end."

Kant defines the categorical imperative as a moral command that applies universally and unconditionally, unlike hypothetical imperatives, which depend on specific ends.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section II)

17. "In the kingdom of ends, everything has either a price or a dignity."

Kant describes how in the moral world, some things can be exchanged (having a price), while others, like moral agents, possess an inherent dignity that cannot be traded or replaced.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section II)

18. "Rational nature exists as an end in itself."

Kant stresses the unique value of rational beings, who must be treated as ends in themselves, not merely as means to an external goal.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section II)

19. "It is impossible to think of anything at all in the world, or even beyond it, that could be considered good without limitation except a good will."

Kant asserts that the only truly unconditional good is the good will, which acts from respect for the moral law, regardless of the consequences.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section I)

20. "The only objects of practical reason are therefore those of good and evil. For by the former is meant an object necessarily desired according to a principle of reason; by the latter, one necessarily shunned, also according to a principle of reason."

Kant defines the moral categories of good and evil as those that reason determines we must pursue or avoid, reflecting the rational foundation of morality.
(Critique of Practical Reason, Part I, Book I, Chapter I)

21. "The moral law commands categorically, not hypothetically."

Kant makes clear that the moral law is unconditional and absolute, commanding us to act in certain ways regardless of personal desires or consequences.
(Critique of Practical Reason, Part I, Book I, Chapter I)

22. "The moral law expresses nothing other than the autonomy of pure practical reason, that is, freedom."

Kant links the moral law directly to autonomy, suggesting that freedom is the ability to act according to the moral law that reason gives to itself.
(Critique of Practical Reason, Part I, Book I, Chapter I)

23. "Freedom is the faculty that makes possible the moral law."

Kant asserts that freedom—the capacity to act according to reason—is a prerequisite for morality, for without freedom, we could not be held accountable to the moral law.
(Critique of Practical Reason, Part I, Book I, Chapter I)

24. "The dignity of humanity consists precisely in this capacity to legislate moral laws for oneself."

Kant emphasizes the moral autonomy of individuals as the source of their dignity, arguing that rational beings are self-legislating moral agents.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section II)

25. "The will is therefore a law to itself (independent of any property of the objects of volition)."

Kant highlights that the moral will is autonomous, guided not by external objects or desires but by its own rational moral law.
(Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section II)

 


Last modified: Wednesday, October 9, 2024, 3:24 AM