An obligation to act in a certain way based on moral principles, independent of personal desires or consequences. In deontological ethics, duties are binding commands of reason.
From Latin 'moralis' and Old French 'deu' (owed). The concept of duty evolved from legal and social obligations to become central in moral philosophy, especially in Kant's ethical system.
Moral duties are like moral gravity—they pull on us whether we feel them or not. Kant believed they come from our rational nature itself, which is why we can't escape them by changing cultures or personal preferences.
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