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A group of artists, writers and intellectuals has launched a new "university" in London, designed to help those too tied up with work to appreciate the finer things in life, like art, books and travel.
The School of Life, operating out of a small shop in the arty district of Bloomsbury describes itself as a "chemist for the mind" that plans to dispense "cultural solutions to everyday ailments". It hopes to inspire those who have got out of the habit of reading decent books, cannot keep conversation flowing at dinner parties, or need to expand their holiday horizons.
The philosopher Alain de Botton, author of How Proust Can Change Your Life, and Sophie Howarth, a former curator at the Tate Modern Gallery, are among the faculty members.
The founders believe that people with too little time to spare need after-hours instruction in how to use what little they have to live a more fulfilled existence. "Perhaps you have a burning question for a paleontologist. Perhaps you're considering a career change and want to talk first-hand to a photographer or landscape designer. The School of Life has a large freelance faculty who are willing to meet with you for an hour of chat in exchange for a small fee,” the website explains, listing 50 experts.
Among courses being offered later this year are instruction in life, love, work, family and politics. A typical course, in love, will explore why relationships are so complicated and why attraction ebbs and flows. "We draw on ideas from philosophy, psychoanalysis, literature and art. We discover what the likes of Plato, Shakespeare, Tolstoy and Freud had to say about compassion, empathy and self-love," the instructors promise.
Courses run for six weeks and cost 195 pounds.
参考译文：
一群艺术家、作家和知识分子在伦敦创建了一所新的“大学”，旨在帮助那些埋头于工作的人们欣赏生活中更加美好的事物，比如艺术、书籍和旅游等。
这所生活学校开在布鲁姆斯博里艺术区的一间小作坊，它把自己形容为“头脑的药剂师”，打算给“日常疾病开出文化处方”。该学校希望能启发那些丢掉了读好书的习惯、不能在晚宴上侃侃而谈，或者需要利用假期扩大视野的人。
《拥抱似水年华》的作者、哲人阿兰•德•波顿和泰特现代美术馆的前馆长索菲•豪沃思都是这个学校的教职人员。
学校创建者认为，那些没有多少空闲时间的人需要额外的指导，学会用他们有限的时间过上更加充实的生活。“也许你正有一个十分想知道的问题要询问古生物学家，也许你正考虑换个工作、想直接跟某位摄影师或景观设计师谈谈。生活学校有很多自由职业的教职员，愿意跟你面对面谈上一个小时，只收取一点点费用。”网站如是说明，并列出了50位专家。
今年晚些时候开设的课程将包括关于生活、爱情、工作、家庭及政治方面的指导。标准的爱情课程将会探究情感关系为什么如此复杂，以及相互之间的吸引为什么起起落落。讲师们承诺，“我们将从哲学、心理分析、文学和艺术中选取内容，我们将了解像柏拉图、莎士比亚、托尔斯泰和弗洛伊德这样的人关于同情、共鸣及自爱的认知。”
这些课程为期六周，学费195英镑。
