Morals Motivation and Convention

This is a book about the continuing influence of Hume''s ideas on moral and political philosophy. In part it is a critical exegesis of Hume''s most impressive and challenging doctrines in Book III of the Treatise of Human Nature on such topics as morals motivation justice and social institutions. However the main thrust of the argument is to throw into relief the importance of that discussion for contemporary philosophy. While the author subjects most contemporary defenses of Humean doctrines to intense criticism he also seeks to discover what versions of Hume''s theories might still be defensible and viable.