---
title: "Immanuel Kant: German Philosopher | Model Diplomat"
description: "Immanuel Kant was a German Enlightenment philosopher who established deontological ethics, emphasizing duty over consequences, relevant for UPSC exams."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/immanuel-kant"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) was a German Enlightenment philosopher whose deontological ethics grounds morality in rational duty and the categorical imperative rather than consequences.
- What is the categorical imperative and how does it differ from a hypothetical imperative?
- How does Kantian deontology differ from utilitarianism in an ethics answer?
- What does 'treating humanity as an end and never merely as a means' require of a civil servant?
- What is the standard criticism of Kantian ethics relevant to the exam?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In a 2019 UPSC Ethics case study, a candidate justified refusing a bribe by invoking Kant's Formula of Humanity, arguing the briber sought to treat the official merely as a means to subvert public duty.

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