Q0067
“Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or…” — Immanuel Kant (Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Theme: dignity.
English
Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of another, always as an end and never merely as a means.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals and files it under Critical Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) spent nearly his entire life in Königsberg, rising from tutor to professor at the university there. After early scientific and metaphysical essays, the Critique of Pure Reason (1781/1787) launched his “critical” philosophy.
How to read this passage
Kantian and rights-based ethics make dignity central; other traditions speak of face, honor, or Buddha-nature. Politics asks how institutions honor or violate dignity. This passage enters that discussion through dignity, humanity, morality.
Concepts in this quote
- Dignity
- Dignity names the worth that persons claim simply as persons—and the respect that worth demands.
- Humanity
- Humanity names both the species and the moral quality of being humane—bridging anthropology and ethics.
- Morality
- Morality in philosophy concerns right and wrong, obligation, and the standards by which we judge persons and acts.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Immanuel Kant. (n.d.). Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of another, always as an end and never merely as a means. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0067
MLA: Immanuel Kant. “Act so that you treat humanity, whether in….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0067.
Chicago: Immanuel Kant. “Act so that you treat humanity, whether in….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0067.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Act so that you treat humanity, whether in…”?
The passage is attributed to Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. The archive attributes this English wording to Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals and files it under Critical Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Immanuel Kant mean by dignity?
Kantian and rights-based ethics make dignity central; other traditions speak of face, honor, or Buddha-nature. Politics asks how institutions honor or violate dignity. This passage enters that discussion through dignity, humanity, morality.