The Palgrave Handbook of the Philosophy of Humor

The Palgrave Handbook of the Philosophy of Humor gathers the best scholars in this now well-established field in order to fill a significant lacuna: to provide an accurate explanation of philosophers’ attitudes toward humor as an umbrella term, both historically and thematically. To that purpose, it addresses not only humor, but also laughter and the comical, as well as related terms, such as smiling, wit, jokes, caricature, irony and stand-up comedy. The first part of the handbook is historical and presents the main philosophers and the major philosophic schools which have taken humor seriously. It clarifies the ways in which humor has been interpreted through various periods in Western history, and engages with the various spiritual traditions and diverse cultures within which humor has been significant. Parts 2, 3 and 4 examine key themes. Part 2 disambiguates the main notions which are associated with humor as an umbrella term, and emphasizes their role in philosophy. Part 3