--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be beneficent when we can is a duty…" description: "\"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 ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/immanuel-kant-532_action_to-be-beneficent-when-we-can-is-a-duty-a_326489.jpg" --- # To be beneficent when we can is a duty; and besides this… ![“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…” quote by Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/immanuel-kant-532_action_to-be-beneficent-when-we-can-is-a-duty-a_326489.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/immanuel-kant-532_action_to-be-beneficent-when-we-can-is-a-duty-a_326489.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/immanuel-kant-532_action_to-be-beneficent-when-we-can-is-a-duty-a_326489.jpg) > “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.” [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. 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Amiable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amiable/) [Beneficent Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beneficent-duty-3065298/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Delight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delight/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Duty Inclination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty-inclination-3065299/) [Imports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imports/) [Inclination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inclination/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Maxims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maxims/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral Import](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-import-3065300/) [Moral Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-worth-924576/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Nevertheless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nevertheless/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Satisfaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfaction/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-interest/) [Spreading Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spreading-joy-213414/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Notice that tearing oneself out of the insensible state is the opposite of remaining in it; the man who is beneficent from duty nevertheless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/notice-that-tearing-oneself-out-of-the-insensible-state-is-the/) [Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/) > [An action, to have moral worth, must be done from duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/an-action-to-have-moral-worth-must-be-done-from-duty/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [The best way to show your gratitude to God and people is to accept everything with joy…We may not be able to give much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/the-best-way-to-show-your-gratitude-to-god-and-people-is-to-accept/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [It costs you nothing to make another happy - and you gain your true self through the act of spreading joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lockwood-huie/it-costs-you-nothing-to-make-another-happy-and-you-gain-your-true/) [Jonathan Lockwood Huie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lockwood-huie/) > [“There is a club in this world that you do not join knowingly. One day you are just a member. It is “The life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-passaro/there-is-a-club-in-this-world-that-you-do-not-join-knowingly-one-day/) [John Passaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-passaro/) > [“She put on a smile and resolved to let that smile reach down inside her and influence her heart, spreading its joy so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-shawn/she-put-on-a-smile-and-resolved-to-let-that-smile-reach-down-inside/) [Melanie Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-shawn/) > [“We could all do with a bit more joy in our lives couldn't we? The wonderful thing is that when we start spreading joy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/we-could-all-do-with-a-bit-more-joy-in-our-lives-couldn-t-we-the/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [“You see, Great Caesar. she said, this is the way in which mortals retain the power of the divine---in every earthly choice they make.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-essex/you-see-great-caesar-she-said-this-is-the-way-in-which-mortals-retain/) [Karen Essex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-essex/) > [The gayety of life, like the beauty and the moral worth of life, is a saving grace, which to ignore is folly, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-gayety-of-life-like-the-beauty-and-the-moral-worth-of-life-is-a/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [It is a striking example of modern conservatism's emphasis on the moral worth of the individual. ... When I look at the debate over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramesh-ponnuru/it-is-a-striking-example-of-modern-conservatism-s-emphasis-on-the/) [Ramesh Ponnuru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramesh-ponnuru/) > [“the moral worth of an action consists not in the consequences that flow from it, but in the intention from which the act is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-sandel/the-moral-worth-of-an-action-consists-not-in-the-consequences-that/) [Michael J. Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-sandel/) > [A man's moral worth is established only at the point where he is ready to give up his life in defense of his convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-von-tresckow/a-man-s-moral-worth-is-established-only-at-the-point-where-he-is/) [Henning von Tresckow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-von-tresckow/) > [A man's moral worth is not measured by what his religious beliefs are but rather by what emotional impulses he has received from Nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-man-s-moral-worth-is-not-measured-by-what-his-religious-beliefs-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The manner in which the hours of freedom are spent determines, no less than labor and war, the moral worth of a nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-maeterlinck/the-manner-in-which-the-hours-of-freedom-are-spent-determines-no-less/) [Maurice Maeterlinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-maeterlinck/) > [All virtue lies in individual action, in inward energy, in self determination. There is no moral worth in being swept away by a crowd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/all-virtue-lies-in-individual-action-in-inward-energy-in-self/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) ## 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 Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Immanuel Kant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/to-be-beneficent-when-we-can-is-a-duty-and-besides-this-there-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/to-be-beneficent-when-we-can-is-a-duty-and-besides-this-there-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/immanuel-kant-532_action_to-be-beneficent-when-we-can-is-a-duty-a_326489.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/immanuel-kant-532_action_to-be-beneficent-when-we-can-is-a-duty-a_326489.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/immanuel-kant-532_action_to-be-beneficent-when-we-can-is-a-duty-a_326489.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To be beneficent when we can is a duty; and besides this, there are many minds so sympathetically…” — 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": "To be beneficent when we can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/to-be-beneficent-when-we-can-is-a-duty-and-besides-this-there-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/to-be-beneficent-when-we-can-is-a-duty-and-besides-this-there-are/#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 } } ] } ```