At a time when many students feel anxious, overstimulated, and disconnected, one philosophy course invites them to slow down and ask a deceptively simple question: What does it actually mean to live well?
Taught by Dr. Kimberley Brownlee, Canada Research Chair in Ethics and Political & Social Philosophy, PHIL 104: Happiness attracts students from every Faculty across UBC, echoing the popularity of similar courses at universities around the world.
Dr. Kimberley Brownlee
But PHIL 104 is not a traditional lecture course where students simply learn about theories of happiness. Instead, students are encouraged to actively explore and practice the ideas they encounter.
Throughout the term, students meditate, debate, stretch, attempt group singing, invent handshakes, try laughter yoga, and practice mindful eating with foods like oranges and M&Ms. They even spend time outdoors reflecting on the relationship between nature and happiness.
“One of the things this course makes clear is that happiness is not a spectator sport. We can read about gratitude, friendship, compassion or courage, but there is a difference between understanding an idea and trying to live it,” Dr. Brownlee said. “Philosophy has always been concerned with how we should live, and this course gives students a chance to explore that question through practice.”
Her syllabus draws from a wide range of sources, from ancient philosophical texts to contemporary psychology, but its central idea is practical: happiness is not only something to understand intellectually, but something to cultivate through everyday actions. Including, quite literally, touching grass.
Students examine themes such as friendship, belonging, compassion, beauty, courage, joy and connections between humans and other species. They also experiment with “take-home practices” designed to encourage reflection and personal growth, including one challenge that many students find most difficult: sitting still and doing nothing for an hour.
For Brownlee, the course offers students an opportunity to engage with philosophy not just as an academic discipline, but as a way of thinking about their own lives.
“The aim of the course is not to give students a formula for happiness. It is to invite them into an ongoing philosophical practice: reflecting on what matters, experimenting with different ways of living, and paying attention to the relationships and experiences that make life meaningful,” she said.
The course has resonated with students, for whom PHIL 104 is often their first introduction to the discipline.
Brownlee says that by the end of the term, she often couldn’t get through all of my lecture notes because students had so much to say. “This course is one of the most inspiring I’ve ever taken,” one student said. “In-class activities left me feeling positive after every class.”
By combining philosophical inquiry with hands-on experiences, PHIL 104: Happiness encourages students to reconsider what happiness means and how it might be practiced, both inside and outside the classroom.
Learn more about our 2026/27 course offerings.
Sign up for our Continuing Education mailing list to take future Extended Learning courses with Dr. Brownlee.
