Why Is Anything Funny? The Philosophy of Humor
Why do we laugh? Kant: expectation that suddenly becomes nothing. Freud: saved psychic energy. And the narrow band where a violation is benign enough to be funny.
Steps
- 1
- Reading· ~11 min
Benign Violation: Why 'Wrong but Okay' Is the Sweet Spot
The most powerful contemporary theory of humor, and the razor-thin line between funny and offensive.
Complete the previous step first
- Reading· ~9 min
Ethics of Humor, Comedy as Critique, and What Laughter Does
Is any topic off-limits? What is humor's relationship to truth and power? And what is actually happening when a room full of strangers laughs together?
Complete the previous step first
- Text Explore· ~8 min
Anatomy of a Joke
Dissect several real jokes through the lens of the three theories and benign violation.
Complete the previous step first
- Argument Map· ~10 min
What Makes Something Funny, The Full Map
Map the philosophical theories of humor and their interactions, including the ethics of comedy.
Complete the previous step first
- Dialogue· ~10 min
Dialogue: Can Everything Be Funny?
The hardest question in humor ethics, where does the comedian's freedom end and moral responsibility begin?
Complete the previous step first
- Reflection· ~8 min
Reflection: What You Laugh At
Your sense of humor is a window into your values, your anxieties, and your social world.
Complete the previous step first
Complete the Reflection step in this path to rate it and share your thoughts in the comments.