▁means , ▁but ▁always ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁as ▁an ▁end . ▁ ▁Every ▁rational ▁being ▁must ▁so ▁act ▁as ▁if ▁he ▁were ▁through ▁his ▁maxim ▁always ▁a ▁legisl ating ▁member ▁in ▁a ▁universal ▁kingdom ▁of ▁ends . ▁ ▁Kant ▁argued ▁that ▁the ▁only ▁absolutely ▁good ▁thing ▁is ▁a ▁good ▁will , ▁and ▁so ▁the ▁single ▁determ ining ▁factor ▁of ▁whether ▁an ▁action ▁is ▁mor ally ▁right ▁is ▁the ▁will , ▁or ▁mot ive ▁of ▁the ▁person ▁doing ▁it . ▁If ▁they ▁are ▁acting ▁on ▁a ▁bad ▁maxim , ▁e . g . ▁" I ▁will ▁lie ", ▁then ▁their ▁action ▁is ▁wrong , ▁even ▁if ▁some ▁good ▁consequences ▁come ▁of ▁it . ▁In ▁his ▁ess ay , ▁On ▁a ▁Supp osed ▁Right ▁to ▁Lie ▁Because ▁of ▁Phil anth rop ic ▁Conc ern s , ▁arg uing ▁against ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁ ▁Benjamin ▁Constant , ▁Des ▁ré actions ▁polit iques , ▁Kant ▁states ▁that ▁" H ence ▁a ▁lie ▁defined ▁merely ▁as ▁an ▁intention ally ▁un tr uth ful ▁declaration ▁to ▁another ▁man ▁does ▁not ▁require ▁the ▁additional ▁condition ▁that ▁it ▁must ▁do ▁harm ▁to ▁another , ▁as ▁jur ists ▁require ▁in ▁their ▁definition ▁( m enda ci um ▁est ▁f als ilo qu ium ▁in ▁pra ei ud ici um ▁alter ius ). ▁For ▁a ▁lie ▁always ▁har ms ▁another ; ▁if ▁not ▁some ▁human ▁being , ▁then ▁it ▁never theless ▁does ▁harm ▁to ▁human ity ▁in ▁general , ▁in asm uch ▁as ▁it ▁v iti ates ▁the ▁very ▁source ▁of ▁right