Action from duty and action in accordance with duty

On first sight, it is easy to think that both of them mean the same thing. However, according to Kant, there is big differences between them. The most apparent case is the one which is generally considered as good action but is carried by the person who is compelled to do that. In such case, the action of the man seems to be in conformity with duty but actually merely has no any moral worth because the action is not what he honestly wants to do. When he is doing such a good action, some evil may be in his mind. So, we can not judge that he is a good person simply according to what he is doing but evaluate his behavior from the maxim that he is acting on, that is, the principle of volition. This is just a obvious case, but there are still many case that are difficult to distinguish one from one another, such as in case which is good but merely just serves one's self-seeking purpose.
To articulate the difference between them, Kant raises four typical examples in the book. First one is about the principle of honesty in commerce. When a merchant charge all his customers the same price just for avoiding low profits or higher benefits, he is doing that in accordance with duty but not from duty. The second one is about the precept of preservation of life. Only when one takes care of his life not for fear of death but for his responsibility to exist, his action is from duty rather than from inclination. The third one is the precept of beneficence. Beneficence for joy or honor and the like, can not be respected as action from duty. The fourth one is about the precept of happiness. People have strong instinct to pursue their happiness, but according to Kant, it is not from duty if one promotes his happiness just for satisfaction with his inclinations.

Then, what is the core point of action from duty? An action from duty has its moral worth not because of the purpose obtained by it but because of the maxim according to which it is determined. Kant's understanding of morality is opposite to Hume's consequentialism. His account of morality is deontology. What is duty? Duty is the necessity of action from respect for law which is connected with will as ground of practice. I will review the connection between law and will.

Today I attended a presentation given by Haddock about accounts of self knowledge.
 self-seeking purpose.