The Greek philosopher Aristotle distinguished between “mere life” and “the good life.” The Good Life involves the principles that express our highest ideals: life as we would like to live it. Not food as nourishment, but food as delight and pleasure; not shelter as mere protection from the elements, but shelter as artistic expression.

Benjamin Franklin thought the good life was a life of improvement, spent pursuing knowledge, cultivating friendship, advancing freedom, and addressing human needs.

For some, The Good Life involves the pursuit of philosophy and theology. For others, it is about politics and economics, psychology and sociology.

Al Pisano, Dean of the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego, concludes this seven-part series in Engineering as a Force for the Public Good. Pisano presents a host of projects demonstrating the role of engineering in medical advances, transportation safety, sustainable energy and other solutions for the developing world.

Check out other episodes of The Good Life, featuring Chancellor Pradeep Khosla, Political scientist Alan Houston, Professors Fonna Forman, Teddy Cruz, Carol Padden, and Gabriele Wienhausen.