Practical Reality [Paperback]

Practical Realityis a lucid original study of the relation between the reasons why we do things and the reasons why we should. Jonathan Dancy maintains that current philosophical orthodoxy bowdlerizes this relation, making it impossible to understand how anyone can act for a good reason. By giving a fresh account of values and reasons, he finds a place for normativity in philosophy of mind and action, and strengthens the connection between these areas and ethics.

1. Reasons for Action; 2. Reasons and Desires; 3. Reasons and Beliefs; 4. The Theory of Motivating States; 5. Acting for a Good Reason; 6. As I Believe; 7.Consequential Matters; 8. How Many Explanations?; Bibliography; Index.

Practical Reality is a philosophically rich, densely argued, and (not coincidentally) blessedly short (less than 200 pp.) book. --The Review of Metaphysics

Jonathan Dancy is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Reading.