This book investigates the role and nature of motivation within the framework of human agency, specifically examining how intelligent agents initiate and sustain goal-directed behavior. Alfred R. Mele, a prominent philosopher of action, synthesizes traditional philosophical inquiry with contemporary empirical research. He constructs a comprehensive model of agency that accounts for both the mental states of the individual and the metaphysical requirements for autonomous action.

Experts in the field of philosophy of action recognize this work as a rigorous contribution to the debate on human agency. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is tailored for scholars and students of philosophy and cognitive science.