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Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals

Immanuel Kant · translated by Thomas Kingsmill Abbott

Kant's short foundational work on moral philosophy, which seeks the supreme principle of morality and states it as the categorical imperative.

The Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals (also translated as the Groundwork) argues that the only thing good without qualification is a good will, and that moral duty is expressed in a categorical imperative: to act only on a maxim one could will to be a universal law. It has a preface and three sections.

This edition is the English translation by Thomas Kingsmill Abbott.

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Nothing can possibly be conceived in the world, or even out of it, which can be called good, without qualification, except a good will. Intelligence, wit, judgement, and the other talents of the mind, however they may be named, or courage, resolution, perseverance, as qualities of temperament, are undoubtedly good and desirable in many respects; but these gifts of nature may also become extremely bad and mischievous if the will which is to make use of them, and which, therefore, constitutes what is called character, is not good. It is the same with the gifts of fortune. Power, riches, honour, even health, and the general well-being and contentment with one's condition which is called happiness, inspire pride, and often presumption, if there is not a good will to correct the influence of these on the mind, and with this also to rectify the whole principle of acting and adapt it to its end. The sight of a being who is not adorned with a single feature of a pure and good will, enjoying unbroken prosperity, can never give pleasure to an impartial rational spectator. Thus a good will appears to constitute the indispensable condition even of being worthy of happiness.

Contents

  1. 01Preface
  2. 02First Section—Transition from the Common Rational Knowledge of Morality to the Philosophical
  3. 03Second Section—Transition from Popular Moral Philosophy to the Metaphysic of Morals
  4. 04The Autonomy of the Will as the Supreme Principle of Morality
  5. 05Heteronomy of the Will as the Source of all spurious Principles of Morality
  6. 06Classification of all Principles of Morality which can be founded on the Conception of Heteronomy
  7. 07Third Section—Transition from the Metaphysic of Morals to the Critique of Pure Practical Reason
  8. 08The Concept of Freedom is the Key that explains the Autonomy of the Will
  9. 09Freedom must be presupposed as a Property of the Will of all Rational Beings
  10. 10Of the Interest attaching to the Ideas of Morality
  11. 11How is a Categorical Imperative Possible?
  12. 12Of the Extreme Limits of all Practical Philosophy.
  13. 13Concluding Remark
  14. 14The End

About this edition

Author
Immanuel Kant
Translator
Thomas Kingsmill Abbott
Era
Early modern (c. 1500–1800)
Reading level
Advanced: for close, demanding reading
Formats
EPUB, PDF
Length
60 pages
First published
1785
This edition
Modern Philosophers