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Quotes from Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals — Immanuel Kant

1724–1804 Germany

← All quotes by Immanuel Kant

8 quotes

Morality is thus the relation of actions to the autonomy of the will, that is, to a possible giving of universal law through its maxims.

Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785)

A will whose maxims necessarily harmonize with the laws of autonomy is a holy, absolutely good will.

Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785)

I ask myself only: can you also will that your maxim become a universal law?

Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785)

I ought never to act except in such a way that I could also will that my maxim should become a universal law.

Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785)

Act so as to treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of another, at all times also as an end, and not only as a means.

Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785)

There is nothing at all in the world that one can think of, or even out of it, that can be held good without qualification, except a good will. (Ch. 1)

Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785)

Here as elsewhere human reason in its pure use, so long as it was not critically examined, has first tried all possible wrong ways before it succeeded in finding the one true way.

Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785)

In the kingdom of ends everything has either a price or a dignity. What has a price can be replaced by something else as its equivalent; what on the other hand is raised above all price and therefore admits of no equivalent has a dignity.

Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Immanuel Kant (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.