Is there immoral humor? Is humor universal? What can we learn about humans through our humor? In this general education seminar, we get a serious grasp of is typically considered a lighthearted concept. We begin with an exploration of the subject matter: attempting to carve out a cluster of phenomena which are to be explained, including laughter, the social aspects of humor, the corrective aspects of humor, the emotional response to humor, and more. We go over the various definitions of humor provided by Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Mill, Bergsen, and Morreall. Each will assume choices about the relevant aspects of humor which are to be explained. We discuss the evolution of the capacity for humor and current views by Morreall and Hurley et. al. Finally, we discuss the ethics and aesthetics of humor.
