Reasonable

Reasonable depends on the circumstances.

Is it reasonable to spend $1,000 to ship a 50-cent bolt? If that bolt is the one thing delaying the launch of a rocket where millions of dollars are at risk, then maybe the answer is yes.

We can’t assess what’s reasonable without having perspective.

It also depends on who’s doing the reasoning.

Empathy helps us to recognize that no one wakes up and says, “I’m going to be irrational and unreasonable today.” People tend to think their actions are well-reasoned.

Whatever others do, they have their reasons. But … they might not think what we think, believe what we believe, or want what we want. What’s reasonable to them might not be at all reasonable to us.