How Do You Know What's Right?: Thinking, Deciding, and Persuading

Issues of morality and values are among the most important questions we face-and the answers we give are central to our identity. They can also determine whether personal relationships flourish or fracture, whether teams at work cohere or collapse, and how we are perceived by our community. But moral- and value-laden questions often confound us, causing needless confusion or acrimony. In How Do You Know What's Right?, Cliff Stromberg offers thoughtful, practical advice about how to think about and discuss moral issues with those who matter in your life. Rather than simple, cookbook rules for being moral, this book provides powerful tools for exploring, thinking, problem-solving, and persuading.

Stromberg draws widely from the insights of leading philosophers, psychologists, and experts on decision-making, creating a vivid picture of the moral frameworks we instinctively choose from, and the good and not-so-good results they can produce. He highlights the psychological features of morals and values that can lead us astray from our goals. And he explores the dynamics that can make it hard for political liberals and conservatives to discuss their differences constructively.

Whether you confront moral and value issues in your work, family, friendships, or as an engaged citizen of our democracy, How Do You Know What's Right? will help you think more clearly about such challenges. It can help you create thoughtful dialogue rather than friction, and increase your chances of finding common ground with others.