Philosophize This!
Episode #145 ... Bergson on Laughter pt. 1 - History
Sep 19, 2020
Dive into the intriguing world of laughter through the lens of Henri Bergson! Explore how laughter intertwines with genuine happiness and its historical baggage from ancient Greek philosophy. Uncover the dual nature of laughter as it relates to comedy, tragedy, and societal reflections. Delve into prominent theories like superiority, relief, and incongruity, revealing laughter's diverse emotional functions. Finally, question the categorization of comedy itself while gaining insights into its deeper significance.
23:31
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Quick takeaways
- Henry Bergson's theory of laughter explains that comedy arises from the contrast between the rigid and dynamic aspects of human behavior, creating laughter.
- Comedy serves as a powerful tool for societal critique and as a platform for absurdity, highlighting the dual nature of its role in society.
Deep dives
Bergson's Theory of Laughter
Henry Bergson's theory of laughter focuses on the concept that anything we find funny is because we are witnessing the mechanical encrusted upon the living. According to Bergson, comedy arises from seeing something that appears mechanical in human behavior, which is otherwise fluid and constantly in flux. This contrast between the rigid and the dynamic is what causes us to laugh. Bergson's theory synthesizes elements from the superiority, relief, and incongruity theories of laughter, while also emphasizing the social function of laughter in regulating societies and communities.
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