Philosophers’ Café considers the ‘right to happiness’

The monthly Philosophers Café will close 2012 with a discussion this week about happiness as an explicit goal of politics. Philosophy faculty member Leanne Kent of St. Norbert College will be leading the discussion from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 5) at the Harmony Café, 1660 W. Mason St., Green Bay. While the Declaration of Independence recognizes our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, can government policy focus on happiness and should government measure its success not only in the familiar terms of GDP and GNP, but also in terms of the GHP, a ‘Gross Happiness Product’?  Prof. Christopher Martin, UW-Green Bay’s coordinator for the joint UWGB/SNC project, says Wednesday’s talk will explore findings from psychology and consider whether such public policy initiatives are enlightened and progressive or seriously misguided. Free and open to the public.