Character Quote by Immanuel Kant
““To behold virtue in her proper form is nothing else but to contemplate morality stripped of all admixture of sensible things and of every spurious ornament of reward or self-love. How much she then eclipses everything else that appears charming to the affections, every one may readily perceive with the least exertion of his reason, if it be not wholly spoiled for abstraction.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Critique of Practical Reason, Immanuel Kant, 1788
Virtue is pure moral goodness seen without personal gain or sensory appeal, evident to reason when not clouded by self‑interest.
In simple terms: Pure virtue is moral goodness without selfish motives.
Key Takeaway
Seek moral actions for their own sake.
Themes
ethics
virtue
reason
purity
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- personal decision making
- leadership
- education
- public policy
Key Concepts
Kantian ethics
moral philosophy
abstraction
Questions to Reflect On
- How does self‑interest cloud moral judgment?
- Can virtue be taught without reward?
A Different Perspective
Pure virtue may be hard to recognize amid complex social incentives.
