Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites

Why do good people find themselves in conflict? An educator who tries to make history more vivid by asking students to share family heritage causes unintended pain for children whose ancestors were either enslaved or slaveholders. An Internet company that tries to improve its product by gathering information about its customers finds itself accused of violating privacy. A politician who introduces a bill intended to help farmers finds herself vilified by people who object to standard practices for raising livestock. These are just a few examples of people trying to do good, yet finding themselves embroiled in conflict. The new book, Cooperative Wisdom: Bringing People Together When Things Fall Apart (Green Wave Books 2016, $14.95, paperback) explains how people so often find themselves in this predicament and—more important—what they can do about it.

Dr. Donald Scherer and Carolyn Jabs wrote Cooperative Wisdom for people tempted to turn away from personal, professional, or political problems because they seem impossible to resolve. The book expands our understanding of what it means to be and do good in a complex world, providing clear, practical guidance about how people can restore cooperation when it breaks down. This unique approach to ethics consistently dissolves conflict, restores good will, builds common purpose and helps people thrive.

Cooperative Wisdom is written as a spirited exchange between an acclaimed philosopher and an inquisitive journalist. Dr. Donald Scherer has spent a lifetime thinking about the human virtues that promote sustainability in natural and social environments; Carolyn Jabs asks the tough and pointed questions a smart reader would raise.

Scherer and Jabs introduce readers to five social virtues, habits of thought and action that sustain cooperation despite change and conflict:

For each virtue, the authors outline three practical strategies that help readers apply the virtues in their own lives. Examples drawn from history, current events and family life show how the virtues can be effective in a variety of life settings, including boardrooms and family rooms, classrooms and committees, faith communities and government agencies. At a time when conflict threatens to overwhelm so many people and institutions, Cooperative Wisdom equips readers to respond constructively to change, transcend conflict, and strengthen the communities on which our well-being depends.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Dr. Donald Scherer developed the Environmental Ethics component of the prestigious Practical Philosophy at Bowling Green State University, and has won national respect for devising innovative partnerships that respond effectively to incipient conflict. Dr. Scherer has collaborated with Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and the Alternative Fuel Institute on the use of crops in producing electricity and jet fuel; promoted interfaith dialogue through the World Council of Churches; consulted with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on ethical questions surrounding the remediation of oil spills; and worked with the Electric Power Institute to test beta versions of electric vehicles in cooperation with the BGSU Electric Vehicle Institute. His previous books include Upstream/Downstream: Issues in Environmental Ethics (Temple University), We Never Aimed at Blight (California Academic Press), Our Greener Ways (California Academic Press), and Two Paths towards Peace, co-authored with Dr. James Child (Temple University Press).

Carolyn Jabs is an experienced professional writer with a reputation for insight and sensitivity in dealing with complex issues. She has written hundreds of articles about families, ethics, environmental issues, and the Internet. Her work has appeared in many publications, ranging from TV Guide and Reader’s Digest to Working Mother and Redbook. Her essays have appeared in Newsweek and the New York Times. She is a lifelong member of the Authors Guild and the American Society for Journalists and Authors. Carolyn is also the author of The Heirloom Gardener, one of the first books about heirloom vegetables, and a contributor to Children and Nature: Making Connections. She also writes the award-winning column Growing Up Online which helps parents raise children who are as safe and responsible online as they are in the real world.

For more information or to order copies, contact Carolyn Jabs, Green Wave Books at 805-845-9774 or greenwavebks@gmail.com. You can also visit cooperativewisdom.org.

LETTER SENT TO PHYSICIANS AND STEPS BEING TAKEN TO STOP THESE OVERDOSE DEATHS

Cooperative Wisdom delivers practical problem solving in a world of conflict