Was Immanuel Kant a proponent of utilitarian ethics?

Immanuel Kant was a significant figure in moral philosophy, known for his deontological ethics, which contrasts sharply with utilitarian ethical theories. Utilitarianism is grounded in the principle that the best action is the one that maximizes utility, typically defined as that which produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Kant, however, emphasized the importance of duty and moral rules that are determined by rationality and the categorical imperative, which is the idea that one should act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.

Kant believed that ethical actions are those performed out of a sense of duty and in accordance with moral laws, rather than based on the consequences of those actions. Therefore, since Kant’s philosophy is fundamentally opposed to utilitarianism, it is accurate to state that he did not advocate for utilitarian ethics. His focus on intentions and moral duties rather than outcomes establishes him firmly as against the principles of utilitarianism.