Alain De Botton
Here at The Couple Summit, there are several world-class professionals whom we admire, both for their academic achievements and for the path that they've gone on to pave for themselves within the world of relationship building. For years, we studied the works of hundreds of individuals. Of those hundreds of authors, scientists, poets, researchers, and noteworthy individuals, we'd like to give extra appreciation and praise towards this specific individual. As part of our 'Masters' series, we’d like to introduce you to our sixth Master, Alain de Botton.
Known as the founder of School of Life, in addition to authoring several important and well-revered books in the field of relationship science, Alain de Botton has had tremendous influence over the direction in which the field of relationship science has moved in recent years.
Who Is Alain de Botton?
Born in Switzerland in 1969, Alain de Botton is known as a British philosopher and author who has very much defined the current contemporary relationship science landscape. Born in Zurich, Switzerland, de Botton came from a wealthy family and spent the first years of his life in Switzerland, where he quickly picked up French and German.
At a young age, de Botton was sent to boarding school in England, where he remained for the rest of his life. After studying at the University of Cambridge, where he eventually received his BA, he went on to complete an MPhil in Philosophy at King’s College in London. In the late 90’s he moved to Boston, where he began working on a Ph.D. in French philosophy. And it was at Harvard that de Botton perhaps made the best decision of his life – to forgo his Ph.D. education and dedicate his life to writing books for the general public.
Alain de Botton’s Work
Throughout his extensive career, de Botton has proven to be a widely successful and well-revered philosopher, whose writings on love and relationships have become quite popular both within the field of relationship science and in the mainstream media.
De Botton’s most well-known works include, “The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work,” which he describes as, “an exploration of the joys and perils of the modern workplace.” In addition to this book, De Botton’s relevant books include, “Status Anxiety,” and “The Architecture of Happiness,” the latter of which has gone on to serve as a fundamental text of relationship building. This monumental book takes a look at the ways in which our happiness is defined by the “quality of our environment.” In other words, de Botton believes that the objects that we surround ourselves with, including things like, “walls, chairs, buildings, and streets…” all play a role in our emotions. And from there, these objects have a tremendous impact on the ways in which we perceive the quality of our relationships.
Along with these books, de Botton is also the Founder of The School of Life. The School of Life is an international organization specifically designed to help people all around the world gain perspective and stand tall in the face of the many different obstacles and challenges that life can throw at us. It is through his continued work that the field of relationship science continues to move forward along a modern and contemporary pathway.
