Action Quote by Immanuel Kant
“To be beneficent when we can is a duty; and besides this, there are many minds so sympathetically constituted that, without any other motive of vanity or self-interest, they find a pleasure in spreading joy around them, and can take delight in the satisfaction of others so far as it is their own work. But I maintain that in such a case an action of this kind, however proper, however amiable it may be, has nevertheless no true moral worth, but is on a level with other inclinations. . . . For the maxim lacks the moral import, namely, that such actions be done from duty, not from inclination.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, 1785
Actions done from personal inclination lack moral worth; true virtue requires acting from duty alone.
In simple terms: Duty, not desire, gives moral value.
Key Takeaway
Act from principle, not pleasure.
Themes
ethics
duty
morality
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- professional decisions
- charitable work
- personal choices
- legal judgments
Key Concepts
deontology
Kantian ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- What duties do you fulfill even when unmotivated?
- Can duty be reconciled with personal satisfaction?
A Different Perspective
People often struggle to separate duty from personal desire.
