A Philosopher Looks at The Sense of Humor Paperback – 31 Jul 2013
by Richard C. Richards (Author)
A Philosopher Looks at The Sense of Humor by Richard C. Richards is intended as a starting point for a philosophical discussion. A colleague once said that Richards writes about humor in a humorous way. He said there are serious books about humor, and humorous books, but a combination of the two occurs rarely. In this tour of the wide, wonderful world of the humorous, he touches upon such issues as what causes a sense of humor, whether it can be taught, what its value may be, how it is connected with happiness, and whether it should be placed on the endangered species list. He out of necessity explores the habitat of the amusing, the entertaining, and the comedic. There is considerable laughter in the world, and a more than abundant supply of things to laugh at. But since laughter and humor are only partially and not essentially connected, this may end up being a eulogy for the death of humor. Perhaps this book will cause it. We can only hope. This book may also be useful as a textbook in a classroom setting.
Product details
Paperback: 164 pages
Publisher: Healing Time Books; 1 edition (31 July 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0982105258
ISBN-13: 978-0982105252
Product Dimensions: 15.2 x 0.9 x 22.9 cm
Average Customer Review: Be the first to review this item
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 9,757,644 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
About the Author
Richard C. Richards, Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, taught various philosophy courses at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, for nearly forty odd years. Actually only half those years were odd. The other half were even. It is odd that even the even years were a bit odd. And the odd years were surprisingly even, though there were odd moments. He taught courses in Philosophy of the Arts, Ancient Philosophy, Medieval Philosophy, Logic and Semantics, Ethics, Business and Professional Ethics, Philosophy of Love and Sex, Aristotle, Existentialism, and The Philosophy of Humor. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of California Santa Barbara, and his graduate degrees at UCLA, where he specialized in medieval philosophy, especially the philosophies of William Ockham and John of Mirecourt. He and his wife of thirty years, Marlene, are enjoying retirement with travel, operas, and concerts. He also hybridizes irises and has won national awards with his introductions of irises into the national iris trade.
Fun, Funny, Thought Provoking! Who Could Ask for More? 7 Feb. 2014
By philoperros – Published on Amazon.com
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Not only is Richards work delightfully inspiring and intellectually stimulating, it’s fun as well as funny. Besides providing further food for thought, Richards gives his readers a concise and cogent analysis of what “the sense of humor” is, what makes it uniquely human, and how it can be distinguished from comedy, laughter or a sense of the aesthetic. He also explains why humor is important, how it can be cultivated and includes some laugh-out-loud jokes of his own. In sum, this book is truly “delicious” — not just for philosophers but for anyone who enjoys humor, believes it is essential to happiness and can’t imagine living without it!
