rarely the sole focus of extended philosophical treatment, it's difficult to find an important commentator in the history of ethical theory that hasn't given them some at least some attention. From Plato to Kant, from Hume to Rawls, everyone has something to say about the nature of promissory obligation.
The past quarter century or so has seen something of a vogue in work on promising. Since the early 1990s we have seen significant contributions by Joseph Raz, Judith Thomson, Margaret Gilbert, Tim Scanlon, Stephen Darwall and many others. This makes Promises and Agreements: Philosophical Essays quite timely. And despite the traditional attention and the current popularity, this is the only collection of original essays on the nature of promising in print today. As such, it will be the obvious choice for those looking for a roundup of contemporary work in the field, whether for pedagogical or research purposes.
Luckily, the volume is up to the task of standard bearing, containing as it does an excellent sample of the best and most innovative contemporary authors, and contributing to many of the traditional and recent debates in the field, as well as breaking some new paths. The collection contains fifteen original pieces, along with a substantial introduction by the editor. Included are many of the more prominent voices in the field today: Darwall, David Owens, Gilbert, Julia Driver, Michael Smith, Alastair Norcross, Daniel Friedrich and Nicholas Southwood. There is a lack of diversity (only three women, only one author from outside of the Anglo-American community) and some notable lacunae, but overall the collection is very representative of the current state of the art. I don't have space here for a comprehensive review of all of the pieces, so