To Laugh in a Pluralistic Universe: William James and the Philosophy of Humor

Jonathan Weidenbaum

doi:10.1515/phhumyb-2020-0010

Article

To Laugh in a Pluralistic Universe: William James and the Philosophy of Humor

Jonathan Weidenbaum
Berkeley College;

Published/Copyright: May 18, 2020

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From the journal The Philosophy of Humor Yearbook Volume 1 Issue 1

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to enlist the work of the American philosopher and psychologist William James in order to investigate the deeper significance of humor. It is neither James’s character nor anything he states directly about humor or laughter that is under discussion here, but the cosmos as grasped through his bold metaphysics and rich phenomenological observations. The thought of James, it is argued, discloses our inherence within a universe rife with ambiguity, complexity, and incongruity. I explore how these features of reality, particularly when illuminated through James’s lush prose, may cause us to laugh. In addition, the insights of James are employed to examine the close relationship between humor and certain forms of religious experience, as well as with horror.

Keywords: William James; philosophy of humor; Zen Buddhism; religious experience; horror

About the author

Jonathan Weidenbaum

Berkeley College;

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Published Online: 2020-05-18

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https://doi.org/10.1515/phhumyb-2020-0010

Keywords for this article

William James; philosophy of humor; Zen Buddhism; religious experience; horror