Full Idea
Beings whose existence depends not on our will but on nature have, if they are non-rational beings, only a relative value as means and are consequently called 'things' (rather than 'persons').
Gist of Idea
Non-rational beings only have a relative value, as means rather than as ends
Source
Immanuel Kant (Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals [1785], 428.65)
Book Reference
Kant,Immanuel: 'The Moral Law (Groundwork of Morals)', ed/tr. Paton,H.J. [Hutchinson 1948], p.91
A Reaction
Ugh. Is there nothing in between 'persons' and 'things'? How about a deeply comatose human, or an embryo? It is a gross distortion to think of a chimpanzee as a 'thing'.