What principles should govern our relations to the nation-state to the environment to other species to other cultures & to other ways of life? How should we approach marriage religion evil & mortality? How should we respond to relativism & nihilism in their current forms? What explains the rise of totalitarianism & the fatal attraction that it exerts over the educated mind? What is Enlightenment & what residue has it left in our view of ourselves? Those are some of the questions addressed by Roger Scruton in this scintillating book of philosophical reflections. Well known as a commentator Roger Scruton makes no concessions to intellectual fashion & is forthright in expressing what he believes & why he believes it. The result is challenging but informed throughout by a humane & compassionate outlook. Scrutons targets are shown to deserve his sceptical assault on them & the vision that he defends of a society ordered by custom tradition & national loyalty is one that will appeal far more widely than to orthodox conservatives.