Repository | Book | Chapter
(2014) Humor, laughter and human flourishing, Dordrecht, Springer.
This chapter is designed to contextualize and advance the conversation among philosophers of education about humor and laughter by focusing on some interesting connections among humor, philosophy and education. I begin my analysis by discussing the nature and purpose of humor in general, while distinguishing it from laughter and amusement. I argue for an eclectic view of humor, one which integrates insights from different theories and avoids the reductionism that has often resulted from trying to create a comprehensive theory of humor. In the next part, I examine some of the historical tensions between traditional education and humor and laughter. I then proceed to lay out some important, though often neglected, similarities and links between humor and philosophy. In the final part of this essay, I attempt to respond to the question: what does a study of humor and laughter bring to philosophy of education?
Publication details
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-00834-9_1
Full citation:
Gordon, M. (2014). The case for a humorous philosophy of education, in Humor, laughter and human flourishing, Dordrecht, Springer, pp. 1-13.
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