The evolution of happiness, a public lecture by Bill von Hippel

An evolutionary exploration of who we are, where we come from, and what makes us happy.

UQ Psychology Professor Bill von Hippel has just returned from a three-month international book tour for The Social Leap. In this talk he’ll outline how the most fundamental aspects of our psychology were shaped by the "social leap" our distant ancestors made from the rainforest to the savannah, creating a new kind of social intelligence and new sources of life satisfaction.

The talk will trace our evolutionary history over the last six million years to show how events in our distant past guide our lives today, and how we can leverage an understanding of the past to build a happier future. From the mundane, such as why we exaggerate, to the surprising, such as why fame and fortune are as likely to bring misery as happiness, the implications are far reaching and extraordinary.

This is a free public lecture, but places are limited so you must register to attend.

Bill von HippelAbout Bill

Professor von Hippel received his BA from Yale University and his PhD from the University of Michigan.

He has published over 100 papers and chapters, and his work has had extensive media coverage, including having his research selected by the New York Times as one of the '100 Ideas of the Year.'

His book tour for the The Social Leap kicked off with a three hour interview on the Joe Rogan Experience, one of the world’s most popular podcasts.

This is a talk not to be missed!

The evolution of happiness, a public lecture by Bill von Hippel

Thu 9 May 2019 7:00pm

Venue

GHD Auditorium
Advanced Engineering Building (49)
St Lucia