What is humour?

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fluffycornsnake

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What is humour?
« on: February 22, 2011, 05:23:41 PM »
What is the nature and essence of humour? Why do we laugh at the humorous?

Did laughter evolve from the territorial roars of our ancestors? Did it evolve as a tension-relief mechanism? Is humour merely a sociological phenomenon, which evolved as a social lubricant, or is it something inherent within the human psyche?

The cognitive shift that occurs upon noticing an absurdity evidently inspires laughter, but what is the reason for such a startling reaction? Why do we react and express ourselves in this manner? Why do we relish absurdity, wit and irony?

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Thork

Re: What is humour?
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2011, 05:27:26 PM »
http://www.theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?topic=46186.msg1141860#msg1141860

I make light of it here, but its not so far from the truth.

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Weegee Board

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Re: What is humour?
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2011, 05:29:14 PM »
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theories_of_humor

There's no single accepted idea, but a lot of guesses. I think the Incongruity Theory makes the most sense.

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Lord Wilmore

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Re: What is humour?
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2011, 05:44:49 PM »
It's at times like these that I wish we still had the now lost second book of Aristotle's Poetics. I'm sure he would have often been wrong, but I bet he would have been wrong in some very interesting ways.
"I want truth for truth's sake, not for the applaud or approval of men. I would not reject truth because it is unpopular, nor accept error because it is popular. I should rather be right and stand alone than run with the multitude and be wrong." - C.S. DeFord

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fluffycornsnake

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Re: What is humour?
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2011, 05:47:09 PM »
For my dissertation I'm attempting to redefine the Incongruity theory as a meta-theory of humour, into which the Superiority and Relief theories can be conflated. In other words I'll argue that each alternative theory of humour is actually a branch (sub-theory) of Incongruity. Of course, this may or may not be completely false...

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Lord Wilmore

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Re: What is humour?
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2011, 05:48:25 PM »
Dissertation? MPhil, PhD?
"I want truth for truth's sake, not for the applaud or approval of men. I would not reject truth because it is unpopular, nor accept error because it is popular. I should rather be right and stand alone than run with the multitude and be wrong." - C.S. DeFord

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fluffycornsnake

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Re: What is humour?
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2011, 05:59:46 PM »
Dissertation? MPhil, PhD?

No, just an Honours. There seems barely enough material on this topic to furnish a 10,000 essay, let alone a postgrad research...

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Lord Wilmore

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Re: What is humour?
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2011, 06:08:46 PM »
Then go original. If there isn't much out there it means you've got a lot of scope to present your own argument. Honestly, that's a positive, not a negative. I did very well in my (literature) B.A. dissertation despite making very little reference to secondary discourse; I wanted to focus on putting forward my argument and analysis. Go for it!


Anyway, I'll try and add something to the discussion tomorrow, but right now I really need to go to bed. On Facebook I told Ichi that I needed to hit the hay, and proceeded to debate with him on here for the next hour. Stupid FES.
"I want truth for truth's sake, not for the applaud or approval of men. I would not reject truth because it is unpopular, nor accept error because it is popular. I should rather be right and stand alone than run with the multitude and be wrong." - C.S. DeFord

Re: What is humour?
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2011, 06:56:26 PM »
I always thought it to be instinct. Kind of like sex, you don't need to be taught how to use your weapons of reproduction. That's how I conclude that we are animals just like any other. We are not special, we don't need to exist for the planet to exist. We are irevelant, our existence proves nothing. ^^

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Benocrates

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Re: What is humour?
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2011, 07:03:17 PM »
My favourite description of the dramatic arts in general is that comedy raises the low to the high, and tragedy lowers the high to the low. Both comedy and tragedy are changes or breaks in our perception of the world. Laughing and crying are cathartic expression of our existential anxiety in this breaking of worlds.
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Get the fuck over it.

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Ichimaru Gin :]

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Re: What is humour?
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2011, 07:04:09 PM »
Is tragedy fear+pity?
I saw a slight haze in the hotel bathroom this morning after I took a shower, have I discovered a new planet?

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Benocrates

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Re: What is humour?
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2011, 07:06:09 PM »
Is tragedy fear+pity?

They seem to involve both, but isn't necessarily reduced to them.
Quote from: President Barack Obama
Pot had helped
Get the fuck over it.

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fluffycornsnake

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Re: What is humour?
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2011, 07:47:52 PM »
I always thought it to be instinct. Kind of like sex, you don't need to be taught how to use your weapons of reproduction.
Then what is the reason for such an instinct? The sex-instinct is obviously necessary; not so much a humour-instinct.

My favourite description of the dramatic arts in general is that comedy raises the low to the high, and tragedy lowers the high to the low.
I like this description, although the former is not necessarily true: humour often has the opposite effect.

Re: What is humour?
« Reply #13 on: February 22, 2011, 09:43:07 PM »
I always thought it to be instinct. Kind of like sex, you don't need to be taught how to use your weapons of reproduction.
Then what is the reason for such an instinct? The sex-instinct is obviously necessary; not so much a humour-instinct.

My favourite description of the dramatic arts in general is that comedy raises the low to the high, and tragedy lowers the high to the low.
I like this description, although the former is not necessarily true: humour often has the opposite effect.


I have not researched it but I would compare it to someone screaming. It means they are afraid and it instantly makes you think there is a problem. However people laughing is the opposite. You assume that there is no danger around. It is not something I have researched or talked about with other people, but from my observation of people around me has lead me to believe this.

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Wendy

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Re: What is humour?
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2011, 04:54:17 AM »
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theories_of_humor

There's no single accepted idea, but a lot of guesses. I think the Incongruity Theory makes the most sense.

It does present a problem, though. Why is something funny even though you expect it? Just watching a random clip of someone doing something ordinary like mowing the lawn, and then realising that he's going to fall down in a comedic way, doesn't negate the fact that it's funny when it happens.
Here's an explanation for ya. Lurk moar. Every single point you brought up has been posted, reposted, debated and debunked. There is a search function on this forum, and it is very easy to use.

Re: What is humour?
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2011, 03:04:20 PM »
I guess, but I would say that something is usually more funny(funnier? correct grammar?) the first time, or if unexpected.

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Benocrates

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Re: What is humour?
« Reply #16 on: February 26, 2011, 09:24:54 AM »
Yah, what he said. The more you know about the upcoming funny, the less funny it is. That's why cliche jokes aren't funny, even if the use of them can be.
Quote from: President Barack Obama
Pot had helped
Get the fuck over it.