Trust within reason is based on the inaugural series of A. C. Reid Lectures in Philosophy at Wake Forest University and I take pleasure in giving thanks to all who made the occasion possible. For almost half a century Dr Reid so inspired his students at Wake Forest that it was decided to mark his death with a fitting memorial. The A. C. Reid Philosophy Endowment Fund, whose subscribers include many of those students, exists to promote a philosophical spirit in a troubled world and the A. C. Reid Lectures are part of its endeavours. I am glad to be associated with so noble an undertaking and honoured to have been invited to inaugurate the series. It was a very genial occasion too, widely attended and leading to fertile exchanges with members of several departments. That is due to the Wake Forest Philosophy Department and I thank the philosophers for the energy and kindness which went into the accompanying arrangements. Ralph Kennedy and Win-Chiat Lee, in particular, who undertook the practical work, were tireless in their determination to make the lectures a success and their visitor abundantly welcome.

The final text also owes much to a period in Munich as the guest of the Philosophy Department and especially to the comments of my amiable host, Wilhelm Vossenkuhl. That provided a welcome chance to extend and improve the text, helped by wide-ranging seminars with graduates and faculty. Raimo and Maj Tuomela, who were visiting the University, kindly shared their work on joint action and gave me the benefit of their comments.