Anthony Jack

Background

About Anthony Jack

After obtaining a BS in Psychology and Philosophy from Oxford University, I did a PhD in experimental psychology at University College London. I then worked as a postdoctoral researcher at two major centers for brain imaging, in London and in St. Louis. In 2007 I started the Brain, Mind, and Consciousness Laboratory at Case Western Reserve University, originally located in the department of Cognitive Science where I was an assistant professor. My laboratory synthesized cognitive neuroscience with network neuroscience approaches to brain imaging. This research led me to realize that Western education neglects to train the parts of the brain that are most critical for empathic understanding, psychological well-being, and developing a sense of meaning and purpose in life. In 2015 I moved my primary appointment to the department of Philosophy and began teaching a course designed to fill some of the gaps in a typical Western education. My "Art and Science of Happiness" course is inspired by the "philosophy as a way of life" tradition practiced by ancient philosophers, updated with the many rich insights that modern science has to offer.