Desert and Virtue: A Theory of Intrinsic Value presents a comprehensive examination of desert and what makes people deserve things. Stephen Kershnar demonstrates how desert relates to virtue, good deeds, moral responsibility, and personal change and growth through the life process. He persuasively argues that desert is a function that relates well-being, intrinsic value, and a "ground," which is defined as a person's character or act. Kershnar also explores whether his theory is consistent with the limited responsibility people have for who they are. Desert and Virtue's insightful analysis will be particularly useful for those interested in philosophy, religion, and other fields that touch on value theory.

"Thought-provoking and brimming with interesting ideas." - Social Theory and Practice, July 2010

"Despite the book's deceptively simple thesis, and its brevity, the author's argument presumes close familiarity with the sprawling, intricate vocabulary of contemporary meta-ethics. It also requires extensive attention to the current academic literature in analytic ethics. Kershnar's work is well laid out and supported and researched and engages interesting questions....It is recommended...primarily for professional philosophers and other academic researchers interested in foundational questions in contemporary meta-ethics." - Metapsychology Online