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This chapter extends the research of John Morreall and others who have examined the various connections between humor and aesthetics by focusing on the distinction between aesthetic and non-aesthetic humor. I begin my analysis by describing the nature and purpose of aesthetic experience while briefly distinguishing it from other human endeavors. In the next part, I critically examine Morreall's distinction between aesthetic and non-aesthetic humor and argue that it does not adequately account for the differences between the two. Then I propose an alternative understanding of the distinction between aesthetic and non-aesthetic humor. Drawing on the example of four comedic performances, I assert that the difference between aesthetic and non-aesthetic humor needs to be assessed on the basis of the impact of the humor on the people who are viewing it rather than on the motivations and intentions of the performer. In the final part of this chapter, I offer some preliminary conclusions about the educational impact of aesthetic humor based on my experience with using this type of humor in a Philosophy of Humor and Laughter course.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-00834-9_6

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