The Metaphysical Elements of Ethics

ations which may come into conflict with the moral purpose; and as it is the man who himself puts these obstacles in the way of his maxims, hence virtue is not merely a self-constraint (for that m

legislation also is possible. Both, therefore, include the notion of constraint, either self-constraint or constraint by others. The moral power of the former is virtue, and the action springing from such a dis

d as duty. Now, as the ethical obligation to ends, of which there may be many, is only indeterminate, because it contains only a law for the maxim of actions, and the end is the matter (object) of elective will; hence there are many duties, diffe

the same. But, as regards the end of actions, which is also duty, that is, as regards the matter which one ought to make an end, there may

o have." On this principle a man is an end to himself as well as others, and it is not enough that he is not permitted to use either himself or others

or pure practical reason: for this is a faculty of assigning ends in general; and to be indifferent to them, that is, to take no interest in them, is a contradiction; since in that case it would not determine the maxims of actions (which alway