Reputation and Character

This paper concerns the ways in which the desire for a good reputation may inspire action. This desire may rest either on instrumental or on intrinsic grounds. I explore reputation as a motivation for action in the case of other-related reputation and in the case of self-reputation. The problem of self-reputation is that it is based on a folk notion of « character » as a stable personal trait in all situations, whereas the way in which we act depends much more on the situation than on stable features of our character. I analyze the relation between character and reputation and propose a series of mechanisms that may contribute to the stabilization of character.