The Case for Rational Optimism

This volume deals with the human desire to live the good life, defined as seeking that which "is good, optimal, or ultimately desirable." While there may be different ways of achieving this goal, the pathways are similar in some ways. In exploring the ways in which these paths cross, Mortensen asserts that an ability to sustain optimal human relations-that is, healthy communication, interpersonal compatibility, and pro-social influence-is a standard against which the good life can be measured. Along the way, the reader discovers who and what we are in relation to the quality of the world in which we reside alongside those who journey with us. Book jacket.