本書主要論述的問題是“正當”與“善”以及兩者之間的關係。“正當”與“善”是倫理學中的兩個基本範疇，義務論強調前者，效果論強調後者，羅斯本書的目的是批判效果論，捍衛義務論。但他的義務論又區彆於康德主義，後者重視道德建構和道德論證，而羅斯主張有些義務是“顯見的”，隻能靠我們的直覺來把握。在他看來，正確的行動並不由引起該行動的動機所具有的價值來決定，即便這種價值有利於行動者，或者是某種獨立於行動者之外的善。正當的行動是由諸多顯見的義務所決定的，羅斯將“正當”與“善”描繪成簡單的非自然的屬性。

The Right and the Good, a classic of twentieth-century philosophy by the great scholar Sir David Ross, is now presented in a new edition. Ross's book, originally published in 1930, is the pinnacle of ethical intuitionism, which was the dominant moral theory in British philosophy for much of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. The central concern of the book is with rightness and goodness, and their relation. Ross argues against notable rival ethical theories. The right act, he held, cannot be derived from the moral value of the motive from which it is done. Furthermore, rightness is not wholly determined by the value of the consequences of one's action, whether this value is some benefit for the agent, or some agent-neutral good. Rather, the right act is determined by a plurality of self-evident prima facie duties. Ross portrayed rightness and goodness as simple non-natural properties. Philip Stratton-Lake, a leading expert on Ross, provides a substantial new Introduction, in which he discusses the central themes of The Right and the Good and clears up some common misunderstandings. A new bibliography and index are also included, along with editorial notes which aim to clarify certain points and indicate where Ross later changed his mind on particular issues. Intuitionism is now enjoying a considerable revival, and this new edition provides the context for a proper understanding of Ross's great work.