What We May Expect of Each Other

In this article, I present an informative account of moral obligations in terms of reasons and show how it can be put to use to solve some pressing problems in moral philosophy. The core idea is that for agents to be morally required to ϕ is for them to have reasons to ϕ that are at the same time reasons for everyone to expect them to ϕ. This Expectation View captures both the first personal deliberative and socioemotional dimension of moral obligations. Over and above, it provides illuminating explanations of supererogation and the imperatival character of moral requirements.