Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals

Philosophy may be divided into three fields: physics (the study of the physical world), ethics (the study of morals), and logic (the study of logical principles). These fields may involve either "empirical" study of our experiences, or "pure" analysis of concepts. "Metaphysics" is the study of pure concepts as they relate to moral or physical experience.

First published in 1785, "Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals" is a preliminary sketch of the fundamental metaphysical laws governing moral experience by German philosopher Immanuel Kant. These laws are metaphysical in that they can be discerned a priori—that is, by the exercise of pure reason and without reference to psychology. Kant’s goal is to set forth the supreme principle of morality. The attempt is organised into three sections.