Theories of Humor (Chart)

created by CWK

                       

Theory	Definition	Theorist	Example	Value	Critique
Superiority	-“sudden glory (Hobbes)” when we see our superiority over others -society’s defense against eccentrics who don’t fit in (Bergson)	-Plato -Aristotle -Thomas Hobbes -F.H. Buckley -Alexander Bain -Henri Bergson	“Put down” jokes; Comedy Central Roasts		Doesn’t account for puns; excludes “love” as a motive; superiority is not a necessary condition of humor (we are superior to dogs,cats, etc) (Francis Hutcheson)
Inferiority	-humility/modesty; not taking self too seriously	-Robert Solomon	Three Stooges		Can devolve into low view of self.
Cruelty	-superiority theory mixed with mortal inferiority; Laughter is a show of dominance, and expression of frustration over our mortality.	-Charles Baudelaire	Cruel Comedy		Arise from a dark and skeptical place; therefore, too dark and skeptical.
Incongruity	-“sudden frustrated expectation (Kant)” -"the inappropriate within the appropriate." -a twist, a surprise	-Kant - Kierkegaard -Aristotle (Rhetoric (III, 2) -Henri Bergson	"...Not, "jokes.		Can confuse object of humor with response
Relief	“outwitting” our natural impulses (Freud) -tension à relief -saving energy; joking allows the release of energy used to suppress a desire	-Freud -Herbert Spencer	Awkward comedies: Meet the Parents; Zack Galafanakis.		-the most tense people are least receptive to humor
Play	Humor needs no justification; beauty is its own justification	-Schaeffer -Rookmaaker			Can devolve into frivolity.
Evolutionary	Laughter is unique to humans in evolutionary cycle.	-Max Eastman (evolutionary): man is like animal			Too dependent on a an evolutionary model.
Incomprehensible	"Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but the thing dies in the process and the innards are discouraging to any but the pure scientific mind (White)."	E.B. White			Yes, humor, like all grand concepts, is mysterious. Yet, even if we cannot understand everything, we can understand SOME things.
Surprise	The essence of Comedy is the shock factor.	-Descartes			Explains a common feature of humor, but doesn't work as a comprehensive explanation. Errs is saying humor is "only" surprise.