Immanuel Kant
German philosopher (1724 to 1804), born in Königsberg, where he taught at the university; author of the three Critiques and the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals.
Immanuel Kant did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
-
Our reading
Nothing in the world, or out of it, can be called good without qualification except a good will
Their wordsNothing can possibly be conceived in the world, or even out of it, which can be called good, without qualification, except a good will.
↗Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals (tr. Thomas Kingsmill Abbott, 1873)gutenberg.org 1st of 7 in this piece
-
Their wordsThus a good will appears to constitute the indispensable condition even of being worthy of happiness.
↗Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals (tr. Thomas Kingsmill Abbott, 1873)gutenberg.org 2nd of 7 in this piece
-
Their wordsThe third proposition, which is a consequence of the two preceding, I would express thus: Duty is the necessity of acting from respect for the law.
↗Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals (tr. Thomas Kingsmill Abbott, 1873)gutenberg.org 3rd of 7 in this piece
-
Their wordsThere is therefore but one categorical imperative, namely, this: Act only on that maxim whereby thou canst at the same time will that it should become a universal law.
↗Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals (tr. Thomas Kingsmill Abbott, 1873)gutenberg.org 4th of 7 in this piece
-
Their wordsAccordingly the practical imperative will be as follows: So act as to treat humanity, whether in thine own person or in that of any other, in every case as an end withal, never as means only.
↗Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals (tr. Thomas Kingsmill Abbott, 1873)gutenberg.org 5th of 7 in this piece
-
Their wordsIn the kingdom of ends everything has either value or dignity. Whatever has a value can be replaced by something else which is equivalent; whatever, on the other hand, is above all value, and therefore admits of no equivalent, has a dignity.
↗Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals (tr. Thomas Kingsmill Abbott, 1873)gutenberg.org 6th of 7 in this piece
-
Their wordsAutonomy then is the basis of the dignity of human and of every rational nature.
↗Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals (tr. Thomas Kingsmill Abbott, 1873)gutenberg.org 7th of 7 in this piece
The line under a date fills as the words age, a quarter at a time: past a month, six months, a year, and three years. Empty means said within the last month; full, more than three years ago. It says when, not whether it still holds — a change of mind is marked on the claim itself.
Dashed means we only know the words existed by that date; they may be older.