How Values Motivate Actions

There is a philosophical tradition that assumes that all actions are motivated by desires, that values are based on desires or feelings, and that values are not facts. The author argues that we have to distinguish between, on the one hand, desires and inclinations and, on the other hand, beliefs in values and duties. The author analyzes beliefs in values, defends their existence, and discusses how they can motivate an action. Finally, an approach to the justification of value beliefs in contemporary epistemology is outlined.