Though both pundits and politicians stress the need for maintaining certain core values as the guiding principles of moral conduct, in the welter of our postmodern era there is no consensus as to what those values should be. Generally, it is up to the individual to decide what he or she ought to value. This book is designed to offer guidance to anyone with an honest interest in exploring individual values in a systematic way. Philosopher William L. Reese takes the reader through an introspective step-by-step process that leads to values clarification and includes a sampling of both classical and contemporary writings on ethics from many of the great thinkers of the world, in the East and the West. By comparing their own values to those of noted thinkers as presented in the selections, readers gain critical insights into their value system and can determine the status of what they value in relation to the whole history of ethics. This is an excellent, stimulating method of self-discovery for both students of philosophy and religion, or anyone with an interest in exploring the guiding principles by which we live.