title: Moral Law: Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
author:  Immanuel Kant 
description: It seems possible that this handy edition may render a real service to social good by enabling the English reader to learn for himself the content of a philosophical classic.<BR><b>&#150;<i>The Guardian</i></b>
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  ![cover](resources/_cover_.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  * * *
  
  # Introduction to the Metaphysics of Morals
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Immanuel Kant
  
  
  #####  translated by W. Hastie
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###  GENERAL DIVISIONS OF THE METAPHYSIC OF MORALS
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###  I. DIVISION OF THE METAPHYSIC OF MORALS AS A SYSTEM OF
  
  
  DUTIES GENERALLY.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  1\. All duties are either duties of right, that is, juridical
  
  
  duties (officia juris), or duties of virtue, that is, ethical duties
  
  
  (officia virtutis s. ethica). Juridical duties are such as may be
  
  
  promulgated by external legislation; ethical duties are those for
  
  
  which such legislation is not possible. The reason why the latter
  
  
  cannot be properly made the subject of external legislation is because
  
  
  they relate to an end or final purpose, which is itself, at the same
  
  
  time, embraced in these duties, and which it is a duty for the
  
  
  individual to have as such. But no external legislation can cause
  
  
  any one to adopt a particular intention, or to propos