Abstract
“ A man orders a whole pizza pie for himself and is asked whether he would like it cut into eight
or four slices. He responds, ‘Four, I’m on a diet ”’ (Noël Carroll)
While not hilarious --so funny that it induces chortling punctuated with outrageous vomiting--this
little gem is amusing. We recognize that something has gone wrong. On a first reading it might
not compute, something doesn’t quite make sense. Then, aha! , we understand the hapless dieter
has misapplied general rules of thumb, mental short-cuts, or heuristics, that we were also initially
committed to and that would usually be good enough to rely upon— fewer slices equals fewer
calories; diets require fewer calories, etc—but in this particular case they fail, and the feeling of
mirth is our reward for making this discovery. We don’t say all of that after a punchline, of
course, but that’s what is happening according to the Humor as Error-Detection Theory : our
sense of humor can sense our errors. This chapter will focus on the overlap and benefits of a humorous and philosophical attitude toward the world and our place in it. The historian of philosophy Will Durant tells us that genuine philosophy begins when one learns to doubt; we can say something similar with
humor--trust me.