On What Matters is a major work in moral philosophy. It is the long-awaited follow-up to Derek Parfit's 1984 book Reasons and Persons, one of the landmarks of twentieth-century philosophy. Parfit now presents a powerful new treatment of reasons and rationality, and a critical examination of three systematic moral theories -- Kant's ethics, contractualism, and consequentialism -- leading to his own ground-breaking synthetic conclusion. Along the way he discusses a wide range of moral issues, such as the significance of consent, treating people as a means rather than an end, and free will and responsibility. On What Matters is already the most-discussed work in moral philosophy: its publication is likely to establish it as a modern classic which everyone working on moral philosophy will have to read, and which many others will turn to for stimulation and illumination.

First volume of the most eagerly awaited book in philosophy

An ambitious treatment of the main theories of ethics

Illuminates a wide range of issues in moral philosophy and beyond

Written in the uniquely lucid and compelling style for which Parfit is famous

Samuel Scheffler: Introduction
Preface
Summary
PART ONE: REASONS
NORMATIVE CONCEPTS
OBJECTIVE THEORIES
SUBJECTIVE THEORIES
FURTHER ARGUMENTS
RATIONALITY
MORALITY
MORAL CONCEPTS
PART TWO: PRINCIPLES
POSSIBLE CONSENT
MERELY AS A MEANS
RESPECT AND VALUE
FREE WILL AND DESERT
PART THREE: THEORIES
UNIVERSAL LAWS
WHAT IF EVERYONE DID THAT?
IMPARTIALITY
CONTRACTUALISM
CONSEQUENTIALISM
CONCLUSIONS
Appendices
Notes to Volume One
References
Bibliography
Index