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Humor, Laughter and Human Flourishing

A Philosophical Exploration of the Laughing Animal

  • Book
  • © 2014

Overview

Authors:
  1. Mordechai Gordon

    1. School of Education, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, USA

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  • Unique blend of philosophical investigation and humorous discourse
  • Provides a rigorous yet accessible philosophical analysis of humor
  • Offers many concrete examples from education, literature, film, media, and our everyday experience
  • Provides many valuable insights on the import of humor and laughter for our lives
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Education (BRIEFSEDUCAT)

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Table of contents (7 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiii
    Download chapter PDF

  2. The Case for a Humorous Philosophy of Education

    • Mordechai Gordon
    Pages 1-13

  3. Humor, Truth, and Human Existence

    • Mordechai Gordon
    Pages 15-28

  4. Camus’ Struggle with the Absurd: Rebellion as a Response to Nihilism

    • Mordechai Gordon
    Pages 29-41

  5. Freud, Dreams, and Humor: A Phenomenological Perspective

    • Mordechai Gordon
    Pages 43-56

  6. Friendship, Intimacy, and Humor

    • Mordechai Gordon
    Pages 57-69

  7. The Educational Significance of Aesthetic Humor

    • Mordechai Gordon
    Pages 71-86

  8. Learning to Laugh at Ourselves: Humor, Self-Transcendence, and the Cultivation of Moral Virtues

    • Mordechai Gordon
    Pages 87-100
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Keywords

About this book

This book is a philosophical investigation of the significance of humor and laughter, examining its relation to other human phenomena including truth, nihilism, dreams, friendship, intimacy, aesthetic experience, self-transcendence and education. The author addresses the relative neglect of humor and laughter among philosophers of education with this volume, where the focus is on the significance of humor and laughter for human flourishing. 
Central questions are threaded through this work: What does the study of humor and laughter bring to philosophy and specifically to philosophy of education?  How is humorist thinking different from other modes of human knowing? What might happen if we were to respond to the absurdity of human existence with humor and laughter? What insights can be learned from a philosophical investigation of humor in relationship to other human phenomena such as dreams, friendship, intimacy, aesthetic experience and self-transcendence? And, finally, how can humor and laughter enhance human existence and flourishing? 
The author presents groundbreaking insights into what can be gained from a study of humor and laughter about human existence in general and flourishing in particular. 
This work will be of interest to philosophers, especially philosophers of education,  as well as to teachers and educators. Its unique blend of philosophical investigation and humorous discourse is both a rigorous and accessible analysis of humor.

Reviews

“Humor Laughter and Human Flourishing is a welcome addition to the Springer Briefs in Education series. … this brief volume is a compilation of essays resulting from his reflection over four years on the relationship of humor to human flourishing, as well as from his selective engagement with humor scholarship. Gordon lucidly conveys many rich philosophical insights.” (Sammy Basu, International Journal of Humor Research, Vol. 30 (1), February, 2017)

Authors and Affiliations

  • School of Education, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, USA

    Mordechai Gordon

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Humor, Laughter and Human Flourishing

  • Book Subtitle: A Philosophical Exploration of the Laughing Animal

  • Authors: Mordechai Gordon

  • Series Title: SpringerBriefs in Education

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00834-9

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, Education (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Author(s) 2014

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-00833-2Published: 21 August 2013

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-00834-9Published: 13 August 2013

  • Series ISSN: 2211-1921

  • Series E-ISSN: 2211-193X

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIII, 100

  • Topics: Educational Philosophy, Philosophy of Education

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