Smiling with God: Reflections on Christianity and the psychology of humor

Referentie:

Roberts, Robert, C., Smiling with God. Reflections on Christianity and the psychology of humor, Faith and Phylosophy 87 (1987) 4, p. 168-175

Informatief extract:

"This essay evaluates two arguments found in John Morreall's "Taking Laghter Seriously": That Christianity is incompatible with a sence of humor since the latter requires that a person takes nothing with absolute seriousness, and that God can have no sence of humor because he is omniscient? I point ou that seriousness about something is a necessary condition of humor and that what peaople find funny is in part a function of what of what they take seriously. Morreall's claim that God's omniscience rules out his having a sence of humor turns on the thesis, fundamental to this book, that humor depends on "psychological shift" which he mistakenly identifies with surprise. I distinguish these concepts, show that humor should not be construed aven in terms of the (weaker) concept of psychological shift, and suggest a way of understanding God's omniscience such that it is compatible with his sence of humor." (abstract)

Creatieve commentaar:

Er zijn minstens twee redenen waarom dit een interessant artikel zou kunnen zijn.

- We kunnen nagaan of er overeenkomsten zijn tussen humor binnen het Christendom enerzijds en humor in de oosterse religie (cf artikel Humor in Zen) anderzijds. Roberts stelt in ieder geval dat humor en het Christelijk geloof perfect verenigbaar zijn.

- Het is een bespreking van en/of een kritiek op Taking Laughter Seriously van John Morreall. Deze wordt in The Philosopher's Index de meest prominente hedendaagse filosofische schrijver van werken over humor genoemd.

(gevonden via The Philosopher's Index)