“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.”
Quote by Immanuel Kant
Work
Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals
This book delves into the fundamental concepts of morality, examining the nature of moral principles and their application in human life. more
Author
Immanuel Kant
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. more
You May Also Like
“The frivolous work of polished idleness.”
Source: On the Progress of Ethical Philosophy: Chiefly During the XVIIth and XVIIIth Centuries
“The work under our labour grows, Luxurious by restraint.”
Source: Poetical Works: With a Preface, Biographical and Critical