About Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals
What it's about
Kant looks for the one rule behind all right action. He starts with the only thing he thinks is good without exception, a good will, and builds toward two famous tests: act only in a way you could want everyone to act, and never treat a person merely as a tool.
Who it's for
Students meeting Kant in an ethics class, and readers who want the categorical imperative explained step by step instead of in one dense sentence.
- Level
- CEFR B2
- Length
- 3 parts · about 1,100 words
- Reading time
- about 9 minutes (~3 min per part)
- Author
- Immanuel Kant
If you liked this, read
- Meditations · B2
- Thus Spoke Zarathustra · B2
- The Gospel of Wealth · B2
Looking for something easier or harder? See Easy English books by level (A1–B2).
Reading Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals in English: quick answers
- What English level is Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals on SeoJae Story?
- Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals by Immanuel Kant is retold in simplified English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate). It is split into 3 short parts, and every sentence has a Korean translation you can show or hide, so a learner at that level can follow the story without a dictionary.
- Is Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals hard to read in English?
- The original is written for native readers, with long sentences and older vocabulary, so most learners find it hard. This retelling keeps the story but uses simpler English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate), so if you read English at that level you can follow it, and the Korean translation is there for any line that stops you. If it feels too hard, start with an easier book one level down.
- How long does it take to read Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals in simple English?
- About 9 minutes of reading in total — roughly 3 minutes per part across 3 parts. Listening to the audio narration, reviewing the vocabulary and taking each part's comprehension check adds a little more.
- Is this the full, unabridged text of Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals?
- No. It is an abridged graded retelling written for English learners that follows the story of the original in 3 parts. Every part also lets you read the matching unabridged chapters from the original, split into short readings.
- Is Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals free to read here?
- Yes. All 3 parts are free to read online, with the Korean translation, audio narration, vocabulary flashcards and comprehension questions included.
- Is Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals in the public domain?
- Yes. Immanuel Kant's Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals is in the public domain, and the original text is freely available from Project Gutenberg (eBook #5682). SeoJae Story's simplified retelling and Korean translation are original text written for learners.