Nearly all of the investigators are united on this account. Three traditional theories of laughter and humor are examined, along with the theory that humor evolved from mockaggressive play in apes. Luk starts to uncover the veil over the mystery of the funny, but does not give an answer to the main question. Allusion to democritus, the laughing philosopher, born in abdero. Laughter helps to open up their perception and create a sense of humor.
It examines the major theoretical perspectives underlying current approaches and it draws together for the fi rst time the main empirical work done over the course of this century. This theory is based on the deep relationship that exists in the human brain between the laughable and the illogical. Monros theories of humor michigan state university. The science of laughter far from mere reactions to jokes, hoots and hollers are serious business. Therefore, the goal of finding a precise scientific formula for funny remains elusive. Humor theory taschenbuch, igor krichtafovitch hugendubel. Laughter and humor is an effective therapy for the body,brain function as well as mental health. Igor krichtafovitch discovered a formula of laughter.
Who or what was the first thing to laugh on earth and what did they find funny. The theory states that humor is fully characterized by three conditions, each of which, separately, is necessary for humor to occur, and all of which, jointly, are sufficient for humor to occur. Complex math has a unique way of being adaptable to day to day events and viceversa, and this book explores how math principles and structures are similar to those of humor although the exploration is not exhaustive. The use of humor and laughter in literary works has been studied and analyzed by many thinkers and writers, from the ancient greek philosophers onward. Humor is a bloodless verbal fight aiming to raise your status and strengthen your position. Formula of laughter by igor krichtafovitch 2006, paperback there is a whole series of gradations of laughter from a barely noticeable smile, to homeric roaring. Theory of laughter synonyms, theory of laughter pronunciation, theory of laughter translation, english dictionary definition of theory of laughter. Understanding humor as play helps counter the traditional objections to it and reveals. Although most people value humor, philosophers have said little about it, and what they have said is largely critical. In laughter clubs, laughter is the cause and humor is the effect.
This superiority theory was held by plato, aristotle, and hobbes. The science of humor is no laughing matter association. Igor krichtafovitch, a prominent russian scientist and inventor, who spent decades researching and analyzing these questions, reveals the answers in his new book, humor theory, a scientific look behind the simple formula for laughter. Increased confidence, reduced stress, and family connection are direct derivatives of the inclusion of real theory of humor in the daily life. Amusement, laughter, and humour in everyday life humor positivo. If that balance got out of whack, the thinking was, people got sick. Gabora and kitto, toward a quantum theory of humor frontiers in physics, jan. Humor theory by igor krichtafovitch, published by outskirts press. The more i think about this, the more mystified i become. In fact, we try to figure out whos the boss in the. Laughter in literature, although considered understudied by some, is a subject that has received attention in the written word for millennia. Humor and laughter play a vital part in our everyday social encounters.
It brings more laughter to the lives of people without bothering much about their sense of humor. These theories of humor help explain what elicits humor socially, culturally and psychologically, but with broad brush strokes, rather than a fine point pen. I also have spybot and adaware and run them routinely. Humors manifold applications make sense since its as fundamental to human populations as sex.
The four humors were black bile, red or yellow bile, blood and phlegm. The second most popular theory of humor, the incongruity resolution model, involves the solving of a paradox or incongruity in a playful context. Humor may thus for example serve to facilitate relief of the tension caused by ones fears. While these theories focus on the specific role that humor plays for people in situations such as dealing with misfortune, making sense of rule violations, and bonding with others, we propose that underlying each of these theories are the. Though there is much more to the theory, it still doesnt seem sufficient because much of what we would call low brow humor does not involve epistemological difficulty or cognitive impasses. Another aspect of laughter, noted by aristotle and cicero and neglected until kant and schopenhauer developed it into the incongruity theory, is that laughter is often a reaction to the perception of some incongruity. The theory founded on the influence which the humors were supposed to have in the production of disease. Among current humor researchers, there is no consensus about which of these three theories of humor is most viable. A play theory of humor article pdf available in philosophy and literature 281.
A theory of humor does the brain contain separate functional regions. Humor theories and the physiological benefits of laughter. Even a friendly banter is a sort of intellectual clash, a kind of training before serious battles. The humoral theory of disease, which originated with hippocrates who lived from about 460 to about 370 b. Provine did a study on the sonic structure of laughter and found that all human laughter consists of basic short notes repeated every 210 milliseconds. Findings from these studies have important implications for nurse practitioners working in hospice settings, longterm care facilities, nursing homes, and hospitals. In 2004, a nobel prize was awarded for the discovery that the olfactory system recognizes smells by recognizing a combinatorial code in the firing combinations of its smell receptors. An essay on the meaning of the comic le rire, 1901 is a notable 20th. Laughter is the ultimate stress reliever for so many of us, especially while at work. This kind of study should be taken seriously for i see the positive health changes in people everyday. Igor krishtafovich discovered a formula of laughter. Laughter and mirth, according to relief theory, result from this release of nervous energy.
The onticepistemic theory of humor sees laughter is a reaction to a cognitive impasse, a momentary epistemological difficulty. Humor theory definition of humor theory by the free. Sharing a joke, a moment or even a funny youtube video while on the job can help spark creative thinking and give extra fuel to a long day. Formula of laughter by igor krichtafovitch goodreads. Psychology today psychology today humor in the workplace series of articles on using humor to reduce job stress, improve morale, and boost productivity. Theories of humor in the wider sense are attempts to solve this problem. The phonetic forms of laughter ha ha, hehe are strikingly similar across languages as well, which means it sounds the same whether youre at a comedy club in new york city or a bedouin tent in the desert source. Laughter is universal across human cultures and even exists in some form in rats, chimps, and bonobos. Most people would agree that laughter and humor are necessary and valuable forms of human expression. Humor theory little audrey jokes emerged 1930s basic format.
What i found most compelling was the authors adaptation of catastrophe theory model to explaining humor. Theory of laughter definition of theory of laughter by. Scientific american is the essential guide to the most aweinspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives. We draw on findings from empirical studies on laughter to demonstrate that these physiological benefits occur regardless of the theory that is used to explain the humor function. Laughter, the best evidence suggests, derives from the ritualized breathing and openmouth display common in animal play. This subreddit is for requesting and sharing specific articles available in various databases.
Kant, as john explains, has a rather absurd theory of humor that he finds particularly interesting if not in the least convincing. Philosophy basic theories of humor flashcards quizlet. Humor, according to relief theory, is used mainly to overcome sociocultural inhibitions. Can evolution actually explain this strange behavioral.
Like other human emotions and expressions, laughter and humor provide psychological scientists with rich resources for studying human psychology, ranging from the developmental underpinnings of language to the neuroscience of social perception. Humor seems uniquely human, but it has deep biological roots. I would love to have more scientific information and proof to share with people who need humor and laughter therapy to improve their health and. Philosophy of humor stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. A fourth type of theory, which takes the central feature of humor to be ambivalence, a mingling of. Assume original source code at folder tb01, and latest source code at folder tb02. He asked over a million people to rate their favorite jokes, and the experiment was great because it included lots of examples, some silly whats brown and sticky. The science of laughter laughter, humor, and play as social tools. There are 3 main theories used to explain the functions of humor. Downloadhumor theory formula of laughter igor krichtafovitch pdf.
Humor theory synonyms, humor theory pronunciation, humor theory translation, english dictionary definition of humor theory. It is like putting the cart before the horse, and it works. Theories of laughter and humor originated in ancient times with the view that laughter is an expression of feelings of superiority over another person. Relief theory maintains that laughter is a homeostatic mechanism by which psychological tension is reduced. This book is concerned with the exploration of the psychology of humor and laughter by the foremost professional researchers in these areas. Play evolved as training for the unexpected, in creatures putting themselves at risk of losing balance or dominance so that they learn to recover. This paper presents a theory of humor, that certain psychological state which tends to produce laughter. Although various classical theories of humor and laughter may be found, in contemporary academic literature, three theories of humor appear repeatedly. Humor theory should be a nearby reference for all those who want to succeed. Little audrey is involved in some terrible catastrophe but always finds some humor in every situation. Requests for help with finding sources for your research will be removed. Imagine the existence of such brain regions with the ability to learn, remember, recognize, and transmit information about specific functions.
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