There is no one who wants to become miserable. People who want to study about authority approach Politics and who want to study about money approach Economics Science. Then, where to approach people who want to know about happiness?
* The Origin of Happiness Science — Concentrated on Psychology
With Professor Tal Ben-Shahar as leader who gives lectures about Happiness Science in Harvard University, research for Happiness Science dealst with Psychology, especially Positive Ppsychology. In Korea, there are also has lectures of Happiness Science connected with Ppsychology. Seoul Christian University’s educational institution for certificate qualification has set up Happiness Science to students who want to become Social Psychical Curers.
* Another Way Searching for Happiness — Happiness Science Concentrated on Humanities
However, the first Happiness Science lecture in Korea began in Spring 2008 at Seoul National University (SNU). If existing Happiness Science, American Happiness Science, were concentrated on psychology, the lecture about Happiness Science is concentrates on the Humanities. Follow is interview about Happiness Science with Professor Kim Changmin (KIM) who gave the lecture in SNU.
SMT What is the difference between Happiness Science between which is concentrated on Positive psychology and Happiness Science from Humanities?
KIM The Happiness Science which originated from Positive Psychology thinks that people feel happy when they take certain action or mind-set. Accordingly, the science has a strikingly practical character strikingly. The other side, the Happiness Science which originated from Humanities, emphasizes comprehension about humans and existence or death. There are unavoidable disasters such as death, not only one’s own self, but others like friends or family. No matter their theoretical principles, the moment they are faced with disaster can not turn into happy time. The Happiness Science concentrated on Humanities intends to raise ability in coping with crisis.
SMT How did the lecture go?
KIM I was not defining Happiness. It was a chance to inspect how happiness was investigated. Through humanities and the science of region were in the center, from social science to natural science even medical science, various professors came and gave lectures about happiness with the view each major. For example, when
we received a Happiness Science lecture through brain science in medical science, students could learn how our brain rushes in when we feel happy.
SMT What would be the difference between people who did not approach happiness scientifically and those who did?
KIM Making a chance to reflect about happiness, an institution for advanced learning, is same as raising ability in coping with crisis. Men who aren’t conscious of happiness lose the chance to manage and overcome it.
SMT Is there some recommendable works or contents about Happiness Science?
KIM Every book written by wise men in history ultimately said happppiness. Therefore, it is hard to select certain representative works. If Sookmyungians want to cultivate intuition about happiness, it is recommendable practice reading classic books and finding out what wise men in past time said about happiness.
