--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A good will is good not because of what…" description: "\"“A good will is good not because of what it effects, or accomplishes, not because of its fitness to attain some intended end, but good just by its will..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/immanuel-kant-532_fitness_a-good-will-is-good-not-because-of-what_308493.jpg" --- # A good will is good not because of what it effects, or… ![“A good will is good not because of what it effects, or accomplishes, not because of its fitness to attain some intended end, but good just by its willing, i.e. in itself; and, considered by itself, it is to be esteemed beyond compare much higher than anything that could ever be brought about by it…” quote by Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/immanuel-kant-532_fitness_a-good-will-is-good-not-because-of-what_308493.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/immanuel-kant-532_fitness_a-good-will-is-good-not-because-of-what_308493.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/immanuel-kant-532_fitness_a-good-will-is-good-not-because-of-what_308493.jpg) > ““A good will is good not because of what it effects, or accomplishes, not because of its fitness to attain some intended end, but good just by its willing, i.e. in itself; and, considered by itself, it is to be esteemed beyond compare much higher than anything that could ever be brought about by it in favor of some inclinations, and indeed, if you will, the sum of all inclinations. Even if by some particular disfavor of fate, or by the scanty endowment of a stepmotherly nature, this will should entirely lack the capacity to carry through its purpose; if despite its greatest striving it should still accomplish nothing, and only the good will were to remain (not of course, as a mere wish, but as the summoning of all means that are within our control); then, like a jewel, it would still shine by itself, as something that has full worth in itself".”” [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral worth lies in the intention behind actions, not their outcomes; a good will is valuable in itself. **In simple terms:** Good will is valuable for its own sake. Key Takeaway Value intention over results. Themes ethics philosophy intrinsic value Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal decisionmaking - leadership - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts deontology good will moral worth Questions to Reflect On - Can intention alone justify moral praise? - How do we assess actions with no tangible results? A Different Perspective If outcomes are harmful, a good will may be insufficient. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) ## Related quotes > [“God, but life is loneliness, despite all the opiates, despite the shrill tinsel gaiety of "parties" with no purpose, despite the false grinning faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/god-but-life-is-loneliness-despite-all-the-opiates-despite-the-shrill/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“If you accomplish something good with hard work, the labour passes quickly, but the good endures; if you do something shameful in pursuit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-ghezelbash/if-you-accomplish-something-good-with-hard-work-the-labour-passes/) Philip Ghezelbash > [For me, the most important thing that I have to accomplish is to be a good father. 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Even if by some particular disfavor of fate, or by the scanty endowment of a stepmotherly nature, this will should entirely lack the capacity to carry through its purpose; if despite its greatest striving it should still accomplish nothing, and only the good will were to remain (not of course, as a mere wish, but as the summoning of all means that are within our control); then, like a jewel, it would still shine by itself, as something that has full worth in itself\".”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Immanuel Kant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-good-will-is-good-not-because-of-what-it-effects-or-accomplishes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Endowment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-good-will-is-good-not-because-of-what-it-effects-or-accomplishes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/immanuel-kant-532_fitness_a-good-will-is-good-not-because-of-what_308493.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/immanuel-kant-532_fitness_a-good-will-is-good-not-because-of-what_308493.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/immanuel-kant-532_fitness_a-good-will-is-good-not-because-of-what_308493.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A good will is good not because of what it effects, or accomplishes, not because of its fitness to attain…” — Immanuel Kant", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Immanuel Kant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A good will is good not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-good-will-is-good-not-because-of-what-it-effects-or-accomplishes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-good-will-is-good-not-because-of-what-it-effects-or-accomplishes/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```