Reasons

Description

When we say we 'act for a reason', what do we mean? And what do reasons have to do with being good or bad? Introducing readers to a foundational topic in ethics, Eric Wiland considers the reasons for which we act. You do things for reasons, and reasons in some sense justify what you do. Further, your reasons belong to you, and you know the reasons for which you act in a distinctively first-personal way. Wiland lays out and critically reviews some of the most popular contemporary accounts of how reasons can function in all these ways, accounts such as psychologism, factualism, hybrid theories, constitutivist theories, and finally Anscombean views of reasons. Reasons also includes a brief guide to further reading to help readers master this important topic in contemporary writing in ethics and the philosophy of action.

Eric Wiland is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Missouri - St Louis, USA.

'Reasons is a gently opinionated tour of divergent philosophical theories of reasons and the problems they raise.Even those well-familiar with the literature will benefit from Wiland's perspective on the terrain.And if they're like me they'll discover some unexplored yet fertile territory.' -- Mark van Roojen, Professor of Philosophy at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA 'Reasons offers a systematic and enlightening introduction to a subject that is often tangled and dark. Ambitious in its scope, it provides a subtle and comprehensive survey of the main positions and debates on the nature of reasons and practical rationality. Its concluding discussion of Anscombe is especially impressive and is sure to encourage the recently renewed interest in her views. Written in an elegant and witty style with a rich choice of intuitive examples this book is perfect for graduate students and advanced undergraduates alike.' -- David Hunter, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Ryerson University, Canada