The School of Life


The School of Life is an educational company that offers advice on life issues. It was founded by a number of intellectuals including Alain de Botton in 2008 and has branches in London, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Berlin, Istanbul, Mexico City, Paris and São Paulo Seoul, Taipei and Tel Aviv. The School offers a variety of programmes and services covering finding fulfilling work, mastering relationships, achieving calm, and understanding and changing the world. The School also offers psychotherapy and bibliotherapy services and runs online and physical shops.

History

The School of Life, founded by philosopher and author Alain de Botton, is staffed by a number of writers, artists and educators. The faculty includes philosophers Mark Vernon, Robert Rowland Smith and writer John Armstrong.

Criticism

Some critics think The School of Life's approach is shallow and unhelpful: "Yet the real issue...is not simply a lack of depth but one of purpose: they are certainly shallow in their philosophy, but they are not particularly useful either. The books are combination platters of soft science, anecdotal case studies, and exercises or suggestions about steps the reader could take to further his or her goal." Some critics suggest that selling philosophical ideas as therapy is problematic, but others suggest it has merit: "But even those who are cynical about the combination of profit and philosophy may find The School of Life’s non-fiction series substantive."

Shop

The London branch of The School of Life has a small shop on Marchmont Street in Central London.

Publications