---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...[F]reedom... is a property of all…"
description: "\"“...[F]reedom... is a property of all rational beings.”\" — Immanuel Kant"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/immanuel-kant-532_equality_f-reedom-is-a-property-of-all-rational-b_3178868.jpg"
---

#  ...\[F\]reedom... is a property of all rational beings.

![“...[F]reedom... is a property of all rational beings.” quote by Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/immanuel-kant-532_equality_f-reedom-is-a-property-of-all-rational-b_3178868.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/immanuel-kant-532_equality_f-reedom-is-a-property-of-all-rational-b_3178868.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/immanuel-kant-532_equality_f-reedom-is-a-property-of-all-rational-b_3178868.jpg)

> ““...\[F\]reedom... is a property of all rational beings.””

[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.

Freedom is the capacity of rational agents to act according to self‑determined principles rather than external compulsion.

**In simple terms:** Rational beings choose their own actions.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and respect autonomy.

Themes

autonomy reason morality

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

- ethical decision making
- legal rights
- personal responsibility

Key Concepts

Kantian ethics free will

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you exercise rational autonomy?
- When does external pressure override freedom?

A Different Perspective

Freedom can be constrained by social and biological limits.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/)

## Related quotes

> [“Much as I like reasonable persons, I hate completely rational beings. For that reason, I am always scared and ill at ease when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-yutang/much-as-i-like-reasonable-persons-i-hate-completely-rational-beings/)

[Lin Yutang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-yutang/)

> [Happiness, though an indefinite concept, is the goal of all rational beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/happiness-though-an-indefinite-concept-is-the-goal-of-all-rational/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [ “...\[M\]an and generally any rational being exists as an end in himself, not merely as a means to be arbitrarily used by this or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/m-an-and-generally-any-rational-being-exists-as-an-end-in-himself-not/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [“The will is conceived as a faculty of determining oneself to action in accordance with the conception of certain laws. And such a faculty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/the-will-is-conceived-as-a-faculty-of-determining-oneself-to-action/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [ Beyond \[known peoples of black West Africa\] to the south there is no civilization in the proper sense. There are only humans who are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-khaldun/beyond-known-peoples-of-black-west-africa-to-the-south-there-is-no/)

[Ibn Khaldun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-khaldun/)

> [“Man, and in general every rational being, exists as an end in himself, not merely as a means for arbitrary use by this or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/man-and-in-general-every-rational-being-exists-as-an-end-in-himself/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [We commit not only theoretical error but also moral wrong in objectifying ourselves or other rational beings, ignoring their capacities for free action and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/we-commit-not-only-theoretical-error-but-also-moral-wrong-in/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [“We’re not only sentient beings, governed by the pleasure and pain delivered by our senses; we are also rational beings, capable of reason. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-sandel/we-re-not-only-sentient-beings-governed-by-the-pleasure-and-pain/)

[Michael J. Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-sandel/)

> [The notion of humans as inherently rational beings has been not only trashed in economics, but trashed in all the best research on moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/the-notion-of-humans-as-inherently-rational-beings-has-been-not-only/)

[Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/)

> [ "Akrasia" \[weakness of will\] in rational beings is as common as wine in France. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/akrasia-weakness-of-will-in-rational-beings-is-as-common-as-wine-in/)

[John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/)

> [Properly understood, then, the desire to act justly derives in part from the desire to express most fully what we are or can be,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/properly-understood-then-the-desire-to-act-justly-derives-in-part/)

[John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/)

> [“I guess you can't compare humans to birds. Humans are rational beings. They're not just creatures without any sense of responsibility, ruled by drives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-sinisalo/i-guess-you-can-t-compare-humans-to-birds-humans-are-rational-beings/)

[Johanna Sinisalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-sinisalo/)

> [“There's no reason why women shouldn't behave like rational beings," Simon asserted stolidly. Poirot said drily: "Quite frequently they do. That is even more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/there-s-no-reason-why-women-shouldn-t-behave-like-rational-beings/)

[Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/)

> [The being we call god is merely a pawn working for a powerful and rational force in some far-off galaxy. This force is trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-yee/the-being-we-call-god-is-merely-a-pawn-working-for-a-powerful-and/)

[Nick Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-yee/)

> [If men will permit themselves to think, as rational beings ought to think, nothing can appear more ridiculous and absurd, exclusive of all moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/if-men-will-permit-themselves-to-think-as-rational-beings-ought-to/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

## More by Immanuel Kant

> [Even if a civil society were to be dissolved by the consent of all its members (e.g., if a people inhabiting an island decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/even-if-a-civil-society-were-to-be-dissolved-by-the-consent-of-all/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [How then is perfection to be sought? Wherein lies our hope? In education, and in nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/how-then-is-perfection-to-be-sought-wherein-lies-our-hope-in/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [Heaven has given human beings three things to balance the odds of life: hope, sleep, and laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/heaven-has-given-human-beings-three-things-to-balance-the-odds-of/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [Beauty presents an indeterminate concept of Understanding, the sublime an indeterminate concept of Reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/beauty-presents-an-indeterminate-concept-of-understanding-the-sublime/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [Freedom is that faculty that enlarges the usefulness of all other faculties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/freedom-is-that-faculty-that-enlarges-the-usefulness-of-all-other/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [Philosophical knowledge is the knowledge gained by reason from concepts ; mathematical knowledge is the knowledge gained by reason from the construction of concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/philosophical-knowledge-is-the-knowledge-gained-by-reason-from/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [A categorical imperative would be one which represented an action as objectively necessary in itself, without reference to any other purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-categorical-imperative-would-be-one-which-represented-an-action-as/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [When I could have used a wife, I could not support one; and when I could support one, I no longer needed any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/when-i-could-have-used-a-wife-i-could-not-support-one-and-when-i/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [Enlightenment is the liberation of man from his self-caused state of minority... Supere aude! Dare to use your own understanding!is thus the motto of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/enlightenment-is-the-liberation-of-man-from-his-self-caused-state-of/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [The ideal of the supreme being is nothing but a regulative principle of reason which directs us to look upon all connection in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/the-ideal-of-the-supreme-being-is-nothing-but-a-regulative-principle/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [“Jeg skal alltid handle slik at den regelen jeg handler etter kunne gjelde som allmenn lov.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/jeg-skal-alltid-handle-slik-at-den-regelen-jeg-handler-etter-kunne/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [Deaths, births, and marriages, considering how much they are separately dependent on the freedom of the human will, should seem to be subject to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/deaths-births-and-marriages-considering-how-much-they-are-separately/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [It is precisely in knowing its limits that philosophy consists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/it-is-precisely-in-knowing-its-limits-that-philosophy-consists/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [A society that is not willing to demand a life of somebody who has taken somebody else’s life is simply immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/a-society-that-is-not-willing-to-demand-a-life-of-somebody-who-has/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

> [. . . as to moral feeling, this supposed special sense, the appeal to it is indeed superficial when those who cannot think believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/as-to-moral-feeling-this-supposed-special-sense-the-appeal-to-it-is/)

[Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

[Explore all 476 Immanuel Kant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/)

## More Equality quotes

> [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/)

[Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/)

> [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [Nothing says the party is over more than when you run out of ice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rande-gerber/nothing-says-the-party-is-over-more-than-when-you-run-out-of-ice/)

[Rande Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rande-gerber/)

> [I hope that we always have diversity, that we have equality and representation every step of the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsai-martin/i-hope-that-we-always-have-diversity-that-we-have-equality-and/)

[Marsai Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsai-martin/)

> [“Unless man is commited to the belief that all mankind are his brothers, then he labours in vain and hypocritically in the vineyards of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clayton-powell/unless-man-is-commited-to-the-belief-that-all-mankind-are-his/)

Adam Clayton Powell

> [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/)

[Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/)

> [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/)

[Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/)

> [ \[Fighting for equality for women\] that's what my mission has been for the last years. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/fighting-for-equality-for-women-that-s-what-my-mission-has-been-for/)

[Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/)

> [We have to restore power to the family, to the neighborhood, and the community with a non-market principle, a principle of equality, of charity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-brown/we-have-to-restore-power-to-the-family-to-the-neighborhood-and-the/)

[Jerry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-brown/)

> [When we speak about equality, you want to be playing on the best pitches with the best facilities. You want to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-duggan/when-we-speak-about-equality-you-want-to-be-playing-on-the-best/)

[Toni Duggan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-duggan/)

> [Free milk will be provided in Hoxton and Shoredith, in Eton and Harrow. What more social equality can you have than that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-wilkinson/free-milk-will-be-provided-in-hoxton-and-shoredith-in-eton-and-harrow/)

[Ellen Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-wilkinson/)

> [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/)

[Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/)

> [I will always support legislation which respects and values life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gresham-barrett/i-will-always-support-legislation-which-respects-and-values-life/)

[Gresham Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gresham-barrett/)

> [Sporting events like the Olympics have developed and maintained a clear message of promoting gender equality as an essential criterion in the success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-attias/sporting-events-like-the-olympics-have-developed-and-maintained-a/)

[Richard Attias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-attias/)

> [Although it may be difficult in theory to know what is just and equal, the practical difficulty of inducing those to forbear who can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/although-it-may-be-difficult-in-theory-to-know-what-is-just-and-equal/)

[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

[Browse all 3,799 Equality quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“...[F]reedom... is a property of all rational beings.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Immanuel Kant"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/f-reedom-is-a-property-of-all-rational-beings/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Equality"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/f-reedom-is-a-property-of-all-rational-beings/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/immanuel-kant-532_equality_f-reedom-is-a-property-of-all-rational-b_3178868.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/immanuel-kant-532_equality_f-reedom-is-a-property-of-all-rational-b_3178868.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/immanuel-kant-532_equality_f-reedom-is-a-property-of-all-rational-b_3178868.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“...[F]reedom... is a property of all rational beings.” — 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": "“...[F]reedom... is a property of all...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/f-reedom-is-a-property-of-all-rational-beings/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/f-reedom-is-a-property-of-all-rational-beings/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```