When does the lecture take place?

The lecture takes place on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM.

Where is the event offered?

The event takes place online as part of the ZEF21 lecture series.

What is the cost of participation?

Participation is free of charge and possible without registration.

Who gives the lecture?

The speaker is Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Schmid, philosopher, non-fiction author, and longtime extraordinary professor at the University of Erfurt.

What topics are the focus?

The focus is on happiness, meaning, justice, societal future, and the philosophical question of the good or beautiful life.

Where can interested parties find the link to participate online?

The link to the online event is provided on the official event page of ZEF21 or in the Karlsruhe event calendar.

Wilhelm Schmid asks about the beautiful life between happiness, meaning, and social responsibility

Name: What is a beautiful life?
Start: 2026-11-04T17:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-11-04T18:30:00+01:00
Location: ZEF21 Online

What is a beautiful life? Wilhelm Schmid on happiness, meaning, and the art of good living

On November 4, 2026, the Center for Ethical Questions in the 21st Century invites you to a public online lecture with philosopher and non-fiction author Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Schmid. As part of the lecture series "What is the good life?", the focus is on a question that could hardly be more personal while also touching the core of societal discourse: What makes a life beautiful, meaningful, and just?

Philosophy as the Art of Living

Wilhelm Schmid is one of the prominent voices of a philosophy that does not separate everyday life from the big questions. His thinking revolves around happiness and misfortune, love, calmness, self-friendship, and the human search for meaning. In books such as "Philosophy of the Art of Living", "Happiness", "Calmness", and "The Abundance of Life", he combines philosophical precision with clear, accessible language.

His journalistic work understands philosophy as practical guidance: not as a collection of ready-made answers but as an invitation to reflect more consciously on one's own way of life. This combination of expertise, linguistic skill, and practical reflection also characterizes his public lectures.

When Progress No Longer Makes Us Happy

The lecture starts from a contemporary experience: Opportunities are growing, yet happiness does not seem to increase at the same rate. Technological progress, economic dynamics, and individual self-optimization do not automatically create a fulfilling life. Rather, the question arises as to which direction society should take when the old promises of ever-increasing benefits lose their persuasive power.

Schmid takes this tension as an opportunity for a philosophical evaluation. Central to the discussion are ideas of happiness, the foundations of a just society, and the search for a future where human existence is more strongly connected to meaning. The narrative of the good life does not appear as a private wellness program but as a cultural and ethical task.

A Literary Experience of Thinking

Although the event is designed as a lecture, it possesses the quality of a special author encounter. The reading atmosphere arises from the spoken language itself: from carefully developed thoughts, precise terms, and a voice that translates philosophical questions into concrete life experiences. The online format opens access to a concentrated literary-philosophical experience regardless of the event location.

Wilhelm Schmid taught philosophy for many years as an extraordinary professor at the University of Erfurt and has received several awards, including the Meckatzer Philosophy Prize and the Dr. Margrit Egnér Foundation Prize. Literary critics appreciate his clear, unpretentious communication of philosophical content. His books have been read millions of times in the German-speaking world and translated into numerous languages.

Thought Provocations for Everyday Life

The evening is aimed at anyone interested in philosophy, the art of living, ethics, and societal future questions. The event combines scientific reflection with a personal perspective: How can happiness be thought of without reducing it to mere satisfaction? What forms of cohesion sustain a just society? And how does meaning emerge in a time characterized by crises, acceleration, and uncertainty?

The audience should not expect a recipe book for a beautiful life, but an ambitious space for thought. This is precisely where the strength of this lecture lies: It takes the big questions seriously without uprooting them from everyday life.

Conclusion: An Evening for the Big Questions of Life

"What is a beautiful life?" promises a concentrated evening about happiness, meaning, justice, and the possibilities of human artistry of living. Those seeking philosophical impulses that extend beyond short-term answers will encounter Wilhelm Schmid as a knowledgeable and simultaneously accessible conversation partner. The free online event offers an opportunity to re-examine one's own concept of the good life and actively engage in the cultural discourse.