Scholar

Immanuel Kant

1724–1804 · German philosopher of duty; formulated the categorical imperative.

Biography

Immanuel Kant grounded morality in reason and duty rather than consequences. The good will is the only thing good without qualification, and moral action follows the categorical imperative.

Key Ideas

  • The good will and acting 'from duty'.
  • Categorical imperative: universal law, humanity as an end, kingdom of ends.
  • Summum bonum and the postulates (freedom, immortality, God).

Topics Appearing In

Key Quotes

“Act only on that maxim which you can will to become a universal law.”Kant

Exam Importance

The named scholar for Kantian Ethics; apply the humanity formula to Business and Sexual Ethics.

Works to explore

Use these titles to locate the scholar's argument in context. Edition-specific commercial recommendations are kept on the component reading lists.

  • Kant — Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (by the scholar)
  • Kant: A Very Short Introduction (about)