There was a gentle sense of celebration in the air as guests gathered at Kleinbosch Wedding Venue for the launch of Happiness, Unhappiness, and Chance by Anné Hendrik Verhoef.
Friends, colleagues and members of the university community came together not only to celebrate a new book, but also to reflect on one of the most enduring questions in life: what does it really mean to be happy?
Prof. Verhoef, professor of Philosophy and director of the School of Philosophy at the North-West University (NWU) and director of the NWU Artificial Intelligence Hub, welcomed guests to a conversation that was both deeply philosophical and quietly personal. The book, which grew out of his doctoral research, explores the complex relationship between happiness, unhappiness and the role that chance plays in shaping human lives.
In modern society, happiness is often treated as something measurable, a state that can be calculated through income levels, health or personal satisfaction. Yet Prof. Verhoef encouraged guests to think about happiness in a more layered and human way.
Tapping into the work of philosopher Paul Ricoeur, he explained that happiness cannot exist in isolation from unhappiness. The two experiences are intertwined and form part of the broader story of what it means to live a meaningful life.
“Perhaps happiness is not something we can permanently achieve,” he reflected during the evening. “It is something we encounter in moments, often unexpectedly, when life opens itself to us.”
As conversations continued throughout the evening, guests reflected on the idea that happiness rarely appears as something simple or predictable. Instead, it often reveals itself in conversations, in unexpected ideas and in the quiet spaces where philosophy, art and human experience meet.
Among those offering congratulations was Prof. Jeffrey Mphahlele, deputy vice-chancellor for Research and Innovation at the NWU, who acknowledged the perseverance required to bring a project of this scale to life.
Writing a book, he stated, is never a small undertaking. It demands patience, intellectual courage and a willingness to sit with difficult questions. Prof. Verhoef’s work, he said, represents an achievement worth celebrating and a meaningful contribution to philosophical scholarship.
The evening also celebrated the meeting point between philosophy and art. Sculptor Alex Trapani, whose sculpture inspired the cover of the book, attended the launch and exhibited a selection of his artistic works for guests to explore.
He also spoke about the decision behind the sculpture that appears on the cover and reflected on the role that art plays in helping people understand, or sometimes simply experience, the world.
“Art is not always immediately understood,” he said. “And perhaps that is why it matters so much. It invites people to pause, to reflect and to discover their own meaning.”
For him, happiness is often found in those moments of quiet engagement with creativity, when people allow themselves to look a little closer and see something differently.
Click here to explore the story behind the book
Prof. Anné Verhoef and Prof. Jeffrey Mpahlele.
