>From: Robert Owen <rowen@technologist.com>
>Subject: Re: Humor and Intelligence
>Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 03:40:48 -0400
>
>Sasha Chislenko wrote:
>
> > It suggests that humor is a reaction to semantic exceptions.
> >
> > -----------------------------------------------------------
> > Sasha Chislenko <http://www.lucifer.com/~sasha/home.html>
>
>An analysis by Kierkegaard yielded a similar result. If we assume
>that the ultimate basis for "rationality" as WE understand it is the
>"Law of Contradiction", then any violation of this law that has
>a wierd appearance of reasonability which is immediately followed
>by a detection of the contradiction will provoke that peculiar
>"ambivalent" response we call "laughter". It is as if for a moment
>we were in Wonderland and then, to our relief, we find we are
>on the right side of the mirror. Irony, satire, burlesque and cari-
>cature may be seen as subsets.
>
Similar to Koestler's analysis in "The Act of Creation." Koestler, however,
demonstrates the bio/cognitive mechanism by which this occurs, which might
be important in upload/AI considerations. Suggest you check it out.