Ethics · Early works to 1800 · open_syllabus_project
Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals by Immanuel Kant — Summary, Key Ideas & Quotes
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What is Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals about?
Immanuel Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals ranks alongside Plato's Republic and Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics as one of the most profound and influential works in moral philosophy ever written. In Kant's own words its aim is to search for and establish the supreme principle of morality, the categorical imperative. Kant argues that every human being is an end in himself or herself, never to be used as a means by others, and that moral obligation is an expression of the human capacity for autonomy or self-government. This edition presents the acclaimed translation of the text by Mary Gregor, together with an introduction by Christine M. Korsgaard that examines and explains Kant's argument.
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The Search for a Supreme Moral Principle
Kant’s central project is to identify and justify a single, supreme principle of morality—a standard that applies to all rational beings, regardless of culture or circumstance. He argues that morality cannot rest on feelings, outcomes, or social conventions, but must be grounded in reason alone. This leads him to seek a law that is both universal and necessary, something that would bind everyone simply by virtue of being rational.
The Categorical Imperative
Kant’s most famous contribution is the idea of the categorical imperative: a command of reason that applies to us unconditionally, not just if we have certain desires or goals. The most well-known formulation is to act only on maxims you could will to become universal laws. This means we should only do what we could rationally want everyone else to do in similar situations, making morality a matter of consistency and universality.
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6 key ideas, distilled
- 1The Search for a Supreme Moral Principle
- 2The Categorical Imperative
- 3Human Dignity and Ends in Themselves
- 4Moral Autonomy
- 5Duty Versus Inclination
Popular quotes from Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
“Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.”
“So act as to treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of any other, always at the same time as an end, never merely as a means.”
“Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the oftener and the more steadily we reflect on them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.”
Frequently asked
Immanuel Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals ranks alongside Plato's Republic and Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics as one of the most profound and influential works in moral philosophy ever written. In Kant's own words its aim is to search for and establish the supreme principle of morality, the categorical imperative. Kant argues that every human being is an end in himself or herself, ne