Kant: A Foundational Text of Kantian Ethics and Moral Philosophy

Kant: Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals is one of the central works of modern moral philosophy and the classic statement of Kantian ethics. In this concise and demanding text, Immanuel Kant seeks to identify the supreme principle of morality: not custom, inclination, sentiment, or consequence, but a rational moral law binding on all rational beings. From this inquiry emerges the categorical imperative, Kant's famous account of moral obligation as grounded in reason and universal law.

First published in 1785, the Groundwork remains essential for readers of ethics, Enlightenment philosophy, deontology, moral philosophy, political theory, and the history of ideas. Kant's argument shaped later debates about duty, freedom, autonomy, personhood, moral law, and the dignity of rational beings. This edition presents a foundational philosophical text for students, general readers, and anyone interested in the intellectual roots of modern ethical thought.