The Case for Rational Optimism

The Case for Rational Optimism
Author :
Publisher : Transaction Publishers
Total Pages : 345
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781412815819
ISBN-13 : 1412815819
Rating : 4/5 (19 Downloads)

Book Synopsis The Case for Rational Optimism by : Frank S. Robinson

Download or read book The Case for Rational Optimism written by Frank S. Robinson and published by Transaction Publishers. This book was released on 2011-12-31 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Case for Rational Optimism tackles a host of challenging subjects in an engaging, accessible, down-to-earth style. It is intellectually serious, ceaselessly intriguing, and devoid of banalities. While other books in this genre tend to be oriented toward self-help, this volume brings evolutionary biology, neuroscience, psychology, sociology, economics, and a keen sense of history to the topic. Robinson begins with three goals: making the case for feeling good about oneself, about humanity in general, and about the global situation. He addresses such seemingly disparate subjects as selfi shness versus altruism, mind and free will, human nature, and issues relating to economics, technology, the environment, and more. Unifying these ideas into a coherent philosophical whole are central concepts: evolution has endowed our species with more good qualities than bad, and why; those qualities, and our use of reason, are the foundations of civilization, and how; and, consistent with our nature, we make a better world by valuing human life therefore enabling others to fl ourish in ways they freely choose. The Case for Rational Optimism argues that the highly challenging conditions confronting early man created a Darwinian selective pressure for cooperation, even altruism, among members of a tribe. Th e author fi nds evidence for this in the way our brains work, and in observable human behavior. He argues against existential despair over the human condition. Even though there probably is no grand celestial design investing life with meaning, he considers this liberating, giving every person the freedom to craft their own meaning. To Robinson, whether sentient beings experience suff ering or joy is the only thing that matters; without emotive highs and lows, the Universe would hardly matter.


The Case for Rational Optimism Related Books

The Case for Rational Optimism
Language: en
Pages: 345
Authors: Frank S. Robinson
Categories: Philosophy
Type: BOOK - Published: 2011-12-31 - Publisher: Transaction Publishers

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Case for Rational Optimism tackles a host of challenging subjects in an engaging, accessible, down-to-earth style. It is intellectually serious, ceaselessly
Psychiana
Language: en
Pages: 270
Authors: Frank B. Robinson
Categories: Religion
Type: BOOK - Published: 2007-06-01 - Publisher: Wildside Press LLC

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Frank B. Robinson's New-Thought religion, Psychiana, flourished in the early to mid 20th century. Here is his 20-part mail-order advanced study course for inspi
Frank Robinson
Language: en
Pages: 219
Authors: John C. Skipper
Categories: Sports & Recreation
Type: BOOK - Published: 2014-11-14 - Publisher: McFarland

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Frank Robinson was one of the greatest baseball players of the 20th century. He was Rookie of the Year for the Cincinnati Reds in 1956, won the Triple Crown in
Decision
Language: en
Pages: 23
Authors: Frank M. Robinson
Categories: Fiction
Type: BOOK - Published: 2016-04-21 - Publisher: Simon and Schuster

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The captain had learned to hate. It was his profession—and his personal reason for going on. But even hatred has to be channeled for its maximum use, and no t
Book-keeping and Accounts
Language: en
Pages: 762
Authors: Frank Wood
Categories: Business & Economics
Type: BOOK - Published: 2018-01-01 - Publisher: Pearson UK

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Now going into its 9th edition, the successful textbook Book-keeping and Accounts is a vital guide for students undertaking studies of book-keeping and accounti