Hypothetical imperative

A hypothetical imperative, originally introduced in the philosophical writings of Immanuel Kant, is a command that applies only conditionally: if A, then B, where A is a condition or goal, and B is an action. For example, if you wish to remain healthy, then you should not eat spoiled food. Thus, a hypothetical imperative is not justified in itself, but as a means to an end; whether it is in force as a command depends on whether the end it helps attain is desired (or required). The opposite of a hypothetical imperative is a categorical imperative, which is unconditional and an end in itself.

The hypothetical imperative can be divided into two subcategories: the rules of skill and the councils of prudence. The rules of skill are conditional and are specific to each and every person. The councils of prudence (or rules of prudence) are attained a priori (unlike the the rules of skill which are attained via experience, or a posteriori) and have universal goals such as happiness.