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I. MOTIVES AND CONSEQUENCES (ref. 1st sec. Found. Meta. Morals)

Kant's moral philosophy is often described as an ethic of
motive in contrast to an ethic of consequences. An ethic of
motive emphasizes the importance of the purity of motive in
moral judgment; an ethic of consequences stresses the benefit
of results. For Kant, an act of true moral worth must be done
from a pure motive, that is, one free of any element of self-
profit or expediency. To the objection that it is unlikely
that any humn judgments in moral situations are done from a
completely pure motive. Kant would reply that moral philosophy
is not a study of how people do act, but how they should act
in those situations in which they wish to act as moral beings.
Kant admits that is impossible to prove even a single case
of an act done completely from a pure sense of duty i.e.,
doing the right thing for its own sake and without at least a touch
of possible self-benefit in mind. The "dear self", as Kant
says, is hard to escape. But this psychological fact does
not damage his ethical model: "Even if there never were
actions springing from such pure sources," he says, "our
concern is not whether this or that was done... but
what ought to be done." ²

[In common-sense morality we often judge in terms
of motive, results or both. Will what I propose to
myself to do bring beneficial consequences? Am I
doing it because it is the right thing to do? Because
it is my duty to do so? Or out of desire for vain-
glory. Or because I believe it will help me or
others who are in a position to do something good
for me?

Am I honest in business because I believe it is
the best policy--for honesty will bring me a good
reputation, hence more customers--or is it because
I believe I ought to be honest, period. According
to Kant, only the second is moral, though the first
may in accord with the moral law, even praiseworthy.

Concepts of law often overlap those of morality.
Ideas of intent, motive, consequences, play varying
but important parts in investigative and judicial
processes. The intent of an act is the purpose or
end I have in mind when I do it. If I strike a
pedestrian with my car on a rainy night, the result
or consequences may be injury to the pedestrian. But

² Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals (408) trans. L.W.
Beck. Index numbers in parens refer to the standard Prussian
Academy paging of Kant's complete works.

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