Conference in Hertfordshire discusses the path to lasting happinessA selection of philosophers, historians and social scientists got together on Wednesday 17th March at the University of Hertfordshire to discuss the meaning of happiness, and how it can be achieved. A highlight of the conference, which was called 'Happiness – Perspectives from the Social Sciences, Humanities and Creative Arts' was a keynote speech on the The Art of Happiness by Professor Richard Schoch from Queen Mary, University of London. Professor Schoch, who is the author of the The Secrets of Happiness: Three Thousand Years of Searching for the Good Life, took a contemplative approach to that vital question: what does it mean to be happy? Professor Schoch says, “We want to know the secrets of happiness, but we’re looking in the wrong places. What the scientists have concluded seems almost commonsensical. Apparently, what makes us happy are sex, friends, job satisfaction, a stable family, and a short commute.” In his keynote speech Professor Schoch argued why he believes that the new science of happiness, associated with figures such as Lord Layard, the government’s ‘happiness guru’, fails to yield significant insights and why “a higher salary, a flashier car, a bigger house fails to increase our happiness”. University of Hertfordshire academics from the Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities Research Institute (SSAHRI), were also be on hand to discuss new research findings relating to happiness from a number of fields. Find out more about postgraduate study at the University of Hertfordshire. Find out more about postgraduate study at Queen Mary, University of London. Looking for funding for postgraduate studies in 2010? Check out the exclusive bursaries on offer from Postgrad Solutions. Content added on 18th March 2010. |
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