European University of Rome, 15-17 September 2025

The conference’s primary purpose is to explore the concept of human well-being within the framework of a flourishing exchange between philosophical and psychological traditions. The conference aims to inquire about the role of psychological well-being within the framework of human flourishing and to explore how the concept of human flourishing might inform the understanding of psychological well-being. We aim to gather scholars interested in deepening this fruitful dialogue between philosophy and psychology, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between flourishing, well-being, and virtue development while promoting interdisciplinary collaboration.

Confirmed keynote speakers

Julia Annas (University of Arizona)
Heather Battaly (University of Connecticut)
Anna Maria Petito (University of Foggia)
Francesco Sulla (University of Parma)
Artur Szutta (University of Gdansk)
Natasza Szutta (University of Gdansk)

Scientific Committee

Sofia Bonicalzi (Roma Tre University)
Riccardo Brunetti (European University of Rome)
Angelo Campodonico (University of Genoa)
Michel Croce (University of Genoa)
Mario De Caro (Roma Tre University)
Mirko Garasic (Roma Tre University)
Gabriele Giorgi (European University of Rome)
Marco Innamorati (European University of Rome)
Michele Mangini (University of Bari)
Claudia Navarini (European University of Rome)
Maria Silvia Vaccarezza (University of Genoa)

Organizing Committee

Cecilia Blandizzi (European University of Rome)
Cristina Caimi (European University of Rome)
Anna Contardi (European University of Rome)
Barbara Ciccarello (European University of Rome)
Pierre-Thomas Eckert (European University of Rome)
Federica Genova (European University of Rome)
Martina Piantoni (European University of Rome)
Elena Ricci (European University of Rome; Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies)
Francesca Russo (European University of Rome; Sapienza University of Rome)
Antonio Scoppettuolo (European University of Rome)

During the Conference, Professor Julia Annas will be awarded the second Aretai Prize.

Sections 

To accommodate as many contributions as possible, the event will be structured around both plenary and parallel sessions, with contributed papers selected through a double-blind review process.

Key questions

• How can psychological accounts of well-being integrate concepts of virtue and flourishing?
• How can the different dimensions of well-being (psychological, interpersonal, physical, community, employment, and economic) contribute to fostering the ethical dimensions of flourishing and vice versa?
• Can the cultivation of virtue improve long-term psychological health?
• What is the relationship between happiness and virtue?
• Should psychological counseling practices and interventions address the ethical dimensions of flourishing?
• How can complex concepts such as flourishing and well-being be operationalized in both clinical and research settings?
• What are the philosophical foundations of well-being, and how do they intersect with empirical accounts?
• Can eudaimonia serve as a universal framework for well-being, or is it culturally contingent?
• How do different philosophical traditions (e.g., Aristotelian, Stoic, existentialist) conceptualize flourishing and its relationship to virtue?
• Is there a tension between individual flourishing and the well-being of communities or societies?
• Given the multifaceted nature of well-being, what are the most reliable methods for assessing it across diverse populations and contexts?
• How is well-being affected by different behaviours, thought processes, and emotional arousal?
• What can generate discrepancies between how others perceive our well-being and how we perceive it ourselves?
• How is psychological well-being (as well as flourishing) affected by interventions fostering emotional regulation abilities?
• How is psychological well-being (as well as flourishing) affected by interventions contrasting maladaptive emotional regulation strategies (such as pathological addictions)?

The event will also provide an opportunity to present some preliminary results from the Italian national research project PROBEN 2024-25 on promoting psycho-physical well-being in young people.

Participation in the conference will require registration and payment of the conference fee, € 80. The cost includes registration, all coffee breaks, and lunch on the 16th.

Registration

Contact

For further information email to aretaicenter@gmail.com

Official Website