The central concept of Kant's Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals is the categorical imperative. "The conception of an objective principle, in so far as it is obligatory for a will, is called a command (of reason), and the formula of the command is called an Imperative." (Abbott, 30) An imperative is something that a will ought or shall do because the will is obligated to act in the manner in which it conforms with …showed first 75 words of 788 total…

…showed last 75 words of 788 total…that determines the action is not based on the goal of the action but on the ability of the maxim to be universal.         From this paper, it was learned what Kant's categorical imperative is, how it is derived, and some examples of the categorical imperative at work. According to Kant, all actions of the categorical imperative should be able to conform to a universal law and should be willed as well as obeyed by all.