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Humor: why do we find something funny?

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*** Mod's note: merged into an existing topic - sN ***

Anybody know what Ayn Rand found humorous and why?

What do you all find humorous and why?

I'm curious because what someone finds humorous seems to be an indication of epistemological value judgments. Some of the things I see in popular entertainment are entirely not funny, although they are meant to be, although to opposite is also true. Just want to hear someone's ideas on the matter.

Edited by softwareNerd
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What do you mean by epistemological value judgments?

Okay I'm glad people are volunteering things they find funny. I can only assume Alfa hasn't heard Mitch Hedberg otherwise he would realize that Hedberg is much funnier than that short story/joke he just posted.

By epistemological value judgements, I really just meant value judgements. I seem to remember reading somewhere in Rand's nonfiction something about how man's metaphysical and epistemological beliefs form his value judgements or something along those lines. By value judgements I mean what you judge to be valuable.

So do you all laugh at things that you find to be unvaluable, say slapstick or Jackass-style humor? Or do you laugh at things you do value? For me, this would be somebody talented doing something really well and boasting about it, like an Usain Bolt in the 2008 Olympics. I know I'm happy to see someone so successful and often laugh out of joy but perhaps there's also an element of laughing at the untalented, unvaluable people that didn't succeed. Anyone care to explore this thought with me?

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