Comic Relief: A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor - Softcover

Western philosophy′s traditional assessment of the nature and value of humor has not been kind, as the standard Superiority, Relief, and Incongruity theories made humor look antisocial, irrational, and foolish. It wasn′t until well into the 20th century that humor gained even a semblance of respect. Comic Relief: A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor goes a great way in ameliorating this injustice. In it, noted philosophical humor writer John Morreall develops a comprehensive theory that integrates psychological, aesthetic, and ethical issues relating to humor. He also presents and critiques the standard Superiority, Incongruity, and Relief theories of humor, revealing how they not only fail to explain its nature, but actually support traditional prejudices against humor. While utilizing elements from traditional theories of humor, Morreall goes into much greater depth about the opposition between amusement and emotions, the cognitive and practical disengagement in humor, the psychological and social benefits of humor, and the comic vision of life itself. He further argues that humor s benefits overlap significantly with those of philosophy, concluding that philosophy′s traditional rejection of humor has been an egregious error. Informed by scholarly research, Comic Relief: A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor is an enlightening and accessible foray into the serious business of humor.

Comic Relief: A Comprehensive Philosophy of Humor develops an inclusive theory that integrates psychological, aesthetic, and ethical issues relating to humor

• Offers an enlightening and accessible foray into the serious business of humor
• Reveals how standard theories of humor fail to explain its true nature and actually support traditional prejudices against humor as being antisocial, irrational, and foolish
• Argues that humor s benefits overlap significantly with those of philosophy
• Includes a foreword by Robert Mankoff, Cartoon Editor of The New Yorker