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Immanuel Kant Quotes

Philosopher

German philosopher, an important representative of the Enlightenment movement, and the founder of the Kantian philosophical system. His thoughts have had a profound impact on the fields of philosophy, ethics, political science, and others.

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All Men Reason Ifs Humans Law Science Moral Ends Philosophy Use Doe Humanity World Categorical Imperative Duty Mind Philosophical Thinking Mean Action

Famous Immanuel Kant Quotes

“No-one can compel me to be happy in accordance with his conception of the welfare of others, for each may seek his happiness in whatever way he sees fit, so long as he does not infringe upon the freedom of others to pursue a similar end which can be reconciled with the freedom of everyone else within a workable general law ? i.e. he must accord to others the same right as he enjoys himself.”

Way May Long Doe Ends Law Enjoy Fit Pursue Welfare Conception Accord

Book:Kant: Political Writings

Source: Kant: Political Writings

“Human freedom is realised in the adoption of humanity as an end in itself, for the one thing that no-one can be compelled to do by another is to adopt a particular end. - 'Metaphysical Principles of Virtue”

Humans Ends Humanity Principles Virtue One Thing Particular Adoption Metaphysical Compelled Realised Human Freedom

Author:Immanuel Kant

“All natural capacities of a creature are destined to evolve completely to their natural end.”

Ends Natural Creatures Capacity Evolve Destined

Book:Philosophical writings

Source: Philosophical writings

“A philosophical attempt to work out a universal history according to a natural plan directed to achieving the civic union of the human race must be regarded as possible and, indeed, as contributing to this end of Nature.”

Humans Ends Natural Race Plans Achieve Universal Philosophical Unions Work Out Human Race Civics Contributing

Book:Philosophical writings

Source: Philosophical writings

“The means employed by Nature to bring about the development of all the capacities of men is their antagonism in society, so far as this is, in the end, the cause of a lawful order among men.”

Men Mean Ends Order Causes Development Capacity Employed Antagonism

Book:Philosophical writings

Source: Philosophical writings

“In the kingdom of ends everything has either a price or a dignity. Whatever has a price can be replaced by something else as its equivalent; on the other hand, whatever is above all price, and therefore admits of no equivalent, has a dignity. But that which constitutes the condition under which alone something can be an end in itself does not have mere relative worth, i.e., price, but an intrinsic worth, i.e., a dignity.”

Doe Ends Hands Conditions Dignity Mere Kingdoms Relative Replaced

Author:Immanuel Kant

“If we could see ourselves... as we really are, we should see ourselves in a world of spiritual natures, our community which neither began at birth nor will end with the death of the body.”

Ifs World Should Ends Body Spiritual Community Birth Reincarnation Our Community Spiritual Nature

Author:Immanuel Kant

“Every human being should always be treated as an end and never as a mere instrument.”

Should Humans Ends Human Beings Instruments Mere Treated

Author:Immanuel Kant

“Act so as to use humanity, yourself and others, always as an end and never as a means to an end.”

Mean Ends Use Humanity Means To An End

Author:Immanuel Kant

“Always regard every man as an end in himself, and never use him merely as a means to your ends [i.e., respect that each person has a life and purpose that is their own; do not treat people as objects to be exploited].”

People Men Mean Persons Ends Use Purpose Objects Treats Regard Every Man

Author:Immanuel Kant

“All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason.”

Ends Reason Understanding Knowledge Higher Perception Senses Express Yourself Knowledge And Ignorance Categorical Imperative

Author:Immanuel Kant

“Always recognize that human individuals are ends, and do not use them as means to your end.”

Inspirational Humans Mean Ends Use Individual Relationship Integrity Management Categorical Imperative

Author:Immanuel Kant

“Always treat people as ends in themselves, never as means to an end.”

People Mean Ends Compassion Treats Means To An End

Author:Immanuel Kant

“It is the Land of Truth (enchanted name!), surrounded by a wide and stormy ocean, the true home of illusion, where many a fog bank and ice, that soon melts away, tempt us to believe in new lands, while constantly deceiving the adventurous mariner with vain hopes, and involving him in adventures which he can never leave, yet never bring to an end.”

Believe Ends Home Names Land Adventure Ocean Illusion Wide Ice Vain Deceiving Fog Adventurous Involving Enchanted Stormy Mariners True Home

Author:Immanuel Kant

“Human beings are never to be treated as a means but always as ends.”

Humans Mean Ends Human Beings Treated

Author:Immanuel Kant

“Every man is to be respected as an absolute end in himself; and it is a crime against the dignity that belongs to him as a human being, to use him as a mere means for some external purpose.”

Men Humans Mean Ends Use Purpose Human Beings Crime Diversity Respect Ethics Dignity Absolutes Mere Every Man Self Respect

Author:Immanuel Kant

“All human knowledge begins with intuitions, proceeds from thence to concepts, and ends with ideas.”

Humans Ideas Ends Science Knowledge Concepts Intuition Human Knowledge

Author:Immanuel Kant

“If, like Hume, I had all manner of adornment in my power, I would still have reservations about using them. It is true that some readers will be scared off by dryness. But isn't it necessary to scare off some if in their case the matter would end up in bad hands?”

Ifs Stills Ends Matter Hands Cases Reader Philosophical Scared Scare Reservations Adornment Hume

Book:Notes and Fragments

Source: Notes and Fragments

“One cannot avoid a certain feeling of disgust, when one observes the actions of man displayed on the great stage of the world. Wisdom is manifested by individuals here and there; but the web of human history as a whole appears to be woven from folly and childish vanity, often, too, from puerile wickedness and love of destruction: with the result that at the end one is puzzled to know what idea to form of our species which prides itself so much on its advantages.”

“Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end.”

Way Mean Persons Ends Humanity Treats Means To An End Categorical Imperative

Author:Immanuel Kant

“Animals... are there merely as a means to an end. That end is man.”

Men Mean Ends Animal Animal Rights Means To An End

Author:Immanuel Kant

“The universal and lasting establishment of peace constitutes not merely a part, but the whole final purpose and end of the science of right as viewed within the limits of reason.”

Ends Reason Whole Science Purpose Peace Limits Universal Finals Lasting Establishment

Book:The Philosophy of Law: An Exposition of the Fundamental Principles of Jurisprudence as the Science of Right

Source: The Philosophy of Law: An Exposition of the Fundamental Principles of Jurisprudence as the Science of Right

“An organized product of nature is that in which all the parts are mutually ends and means.”

Mean Ends Science Products Organized Organisms Ends And Means

Author:Immanuel Kant

About the Author

Born: April 22, 1724
Died: February 12, 1804
Known for: Philosopher
Quotes: 385

Books & Sources

Critique of pure reasonRelated source material

Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of MoralsRelated source material

Immanuel Kant's Critique Of Pure ReasonRelated source material

Philosophical writingsRelated source material

An Answer to the Question: What Is Enlightenment?Related source material

Delphi Collected Works of Immanuel Kant (Illustrated)Related source material

Lectures on EthicsRelated source material

Kant's cosmogony as in his essay on the retardation of the rotation of the earth and his Natural history and theory of the heavens: With introduction, appendices, and a portrait of Thomas Wright of DurhamRelated source material

The Educational Theory of Immanuel KantRelated source material

Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of MoralsRelated source material

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