Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>The purpose of this book is to provide a philosophical development of the idea of expressive action. Expressive actions are symbolic actions that mark situations as in some way significant. In expressive action the symbolism is not arbitrary in relation to what is being marked; rather, the symbols speak in some way to the significant features of the situation being marked. A crucial task for a theory of expressive action is to explain what is going on when we do these things. This is the Explanation Question. Many writers have found it difficult, at least on the face of it, to articulate a point to expressive action. The other central question about expressive action is the Question of Reflective Endorsement: once we know what we are doing when we engage in expressive action, is it something we can continue to regard as worthwhile given the costs involved in it? The most adequate answer to the Explanation Question is that, in paradigm cases of expressive action, we are acting on a distinctive evaluative conception: the conception of expressive reasons. Certain key social, moral and psychological phenomena can be illuminated by considering them as forms of engagement with expressive reasons.</jats:p>