This collection of essays, by a leading scholar in ethics and political philosophy, presents original views on central topics in ethics such as reasons, intuition, obligation, value, virtue and rights. Written in a clear and engaging style, it is a valuable resource for students as well as scholars.

A central concern in recent ethical thinking is reasons for action and their relation to obligations, rights, and values. This collection of recent essays by Robert Audi presents an account of what reasons for action are, how they are related to obligation and rights, and how they figure in virtuous conduct. In addition, Audi reflects in his opening essay on his theory of reasons for action, his common-sense intuitionism, and his widely debated principles for balancing religion and politics. Reasons are shown to be basic elements in motivation, grounded in experience, and crucial for justifying actions and for understanding rights. Audi's clear and engaging essays make these advanced debates accessible to students as well as scholars, and this volume will be a valuable resource for readers interested in ethical theory, political theory, applied ethics, or philosophy of action.

Advance praise: 'This volume brings together twelve well-chosen essays that epitomize the central features in Robert Audi's distinctive moral and political philosophy. The collection, which includes application of Audi's perspectives to the relation between religion and the state, will be eminently useful.' Elizabeth Radcliffe, The College of William and Mary