Comic Relief

A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor

John Morreall

Foreword by Robert Mankoff, Cartoon Editor of The New Yorker

A John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Publication

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This edition first published 2009© 2009 John Morreall

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Morreall, John, 1947–Comic relief : a comprehensive philosophy of humor / John Morreall ; foreword by

Robert Mankoff.p. cm. — (New directions in aesthetics)

Includes bibliographical references and index.ISBN 978-1-4051-9612-3 (alk. paper)

1. Wit and humor–Philosophy. I. Title.PN6149.P5M67 2009809′.7—dc22

2009007420

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Set in 10/12.5pt Galliard by Graphicraft Ltd, Hong KongPrinted in Singapore

01 2009

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Contents

Foreword ixRobert Mankoff

Preface xiAcknowledgments xiii

1 No Laughing Matter: The Traditional Rejection of Humor and Traditional Theories of Humor 1Humor, Anarchy, and Aggression 2The Superiority Theory: Humor as Anti-social 4The Incongruity Theory: Humor as Irrational 9The Relief Theory: Humor as a Pressure Valve 15The Minority Opinion of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas:

Humor as Playful Relaxation 23The Relaxation Theory of Robert Latta 24

2 Fight or Flight – or Laughter: The Psychology of Humor 27Humor and Disengagement 28Humor as Play 33Laughter as a Play Signal 36

3 From Lucy to “I Love Lucy”: The Evolution of Humor 40What Was First Funny? 41The Basic Pattern in Humor: The Playful Enjoyment

of a Cognitive Shift Is Expressed in Laughter 49The Worth of Mirth 64

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viii Contents

4 That Mona Lisa Smile: The Aesthetics of Humor 69Humor as Aesthetic Experience 70Humor and Other Ways of Enjoying Cognitive Shifts:

The Funny, Tragic, Grotesque, Macabre, Horrible, Bizarre, and Fantastic 73

Tragedy vs. Comedy: Is Heavy Better than Light? 75Enough with the Jokes: Spontaneous vs. Prepared Humor 83

5 Laughing at the Wrong Time: The Negative Ethics of Humor 90Eight Traditional Moral Objections 91The Shortcomings in the Contemporary Ethics of Humor 98A More Comprehensive Approach: The Ethics of

Disengagement 101First Harmful Effect: Irresponsibility 102Second Harmful Effect: Blocking Compassion 103Third Harmful Effect: Promoting Prejudice 105

6 Having a Good Laugh: The Positive Ethics of Humor 111Intellectual Virtues Fostered by Humor 112Moral Virtues Fostered by Humor 115Humor during the Holocaust 119

7 Homo Sapiens and Homo Ridens: Philosophy and Comedy 125Was Socrates the First Stand-up Comedian? 126Humor and the Existentialists 129The Laughing Buddha 133

8 The Glass Is Half-Empty and Half-Full: Comic Wisdom 139

Notes 146

Bibliography 160

Index 179

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