A historical and critical account of the introduction of hymns as part of the liturgy, showing that such a bonding is neither very ancient nor inevitable. Traces the controversial shift from metrical psalms to hymnody and discusses legal issues and litigation that developed over the change. Intended not as a definitive study but a spark to further research and debate. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Joining the ancient debate over the roles of reason and appetite in the moral mind, In Praise of Desire takes the side of appetite. The book makes the claim that acting for moral reasons, acting in a praiseworthy manner, and acting out of virtue amount to nothing more than acting out of intrinsic desires for the right or the good, correctly conceived. In Praise of Desire shows that a desire-centered moral psychology can be richer than philosophers commonly think, accommodating the full complexity of moral life.