Are there exceptions to Kant's perfect duties - duties always or never to do X? By this I mean, does the doctrine of perfect duties generate counter-examples - situations in which if we followed the requirement always or never to do X then what we would do or not do would be repugnant to ordinary moral thinking - a standard to which Kant adheres ? Does one really have a duty never to make a lying promise whatever the circumstances?
I personally like the idea that what we have perfect duties to acquire and exercise character traits such as generosity and benovolence, because it seems reasonably intuitive to say that we should never have a deceitful character nor a competitive attitude, but that honest people can still lie. Alongside the imperfect duty to e.g. give to charity, like Kantians suggest.
Does or could Kant accept the idea of a perfect duty to acquire and exercise character traits and not, or in addition to, a duty always or never to do a certain type of action ?