Derived from a conference sponsored by the Heinz Werner Institute for Developmental Analysis at Clark University, these papers consider the role emotions play in ideal human development. Contributors from the fields of psychology, philosophy, and sociology discuss the place that "feelings," "affect," "passion," and "emotion" should ideally occupy in human existence and how realization of this goal can be fostered.

The conference organizers focused the discussions by asking the participants to consider six questions, each of which was intended to touch upon some aspect of the relationship between emotions and ideal human development. Chapters contain the papers presented and a summary of the discussions that followed the presentations.