▁the ▁consequences ▁of ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁willing ▁cannot ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁determine ▁that ▁the ▁person ▁has ▁a ▁good ▁will ; ▁good ▁consequences ▁could ▁arise ▁by ▁accident ▁from ▁an ▁action ▁that ▁was ▁motiv ated ▁by ▁a ▁desire ▁to ▁cause ▁harm ▁to ▁an ▁innoc ent ▁person , ▁and ▁bad ▁consequences ▁could ▁arise ▁from ▁an ▁action ▁that ▁was ▁well - mot iv ated . ▁Instead , ▁he ▁claims , ▁a ▁person ▁has ▁a ▁good ▁will ▁when ▁he ▁' act s ▁out ▁of ▁respect ▁for ▁the ▁moral ▁law '. ▁People ▁' act ▁out ▁of ▁respect ▁for ▁the ▁moral ▁law ' ▁when ▁they ▁act ▁in ▁some ▁way ▁because ▁they ▁have ▁a ▁duty ▁to ▁do ▁so . ▁So , ▁the ▁only ▁thing ▁that ▁is ▁truly ▁good ▁in ▁itself ▁is ▁a ▁good ▁will , ▁and ▁a ▁good ▁will ▁is ▁only ▁good ▁when ▁the ▁will er ▁cho oses ▁to ▁do ▁something ▁because ▁it ▁is ▁that ▁person ' s ▁duty , ▁i . e . ▁out ▁of ▁" res pect " ▁for ▁the ▁law . ▁He ▁defines ▁respect ▁as ▁" the ▁concept ▁of ▁a ▁worth ▁which ▁th w arts ▁my ▁self - lo ve ". ▁ ▁Kant ' s ▁three ▁significant ▁form ulations ▁of ▁the ▁categor ical ▁imper ative ▁are : ▁ ▁Act ▁only ▁according ▁to ▁that ▁maxim ▁by ▁which ▁you ▁can ▁also ▁will ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁become ▁a ▁universal ▁law . ▁ ▁Act ▁in ▁such ▁a ▁way ▁that ▁you ▁always ▁treat ▁human ity , ▁whether ▁in ▁your ▁own ▁person ▁or ▁in ▁the ▁person ▁of ▁any ▁other , ▁never ▁simply ▁as ▁a