ABSTRACT
Humour is a phenomenon that has been poorly served by philosophers,
who for the most part have neither helped us understand it, nor made us
laugh.1 Philosophy’s neglect of humour is unfortunate, since laughter is so
evidently a distinctive aspect of the human condition. No philosophical
anthropology could be complete without attending to the smiling side of
our nature. Moreover, humour raises specific issues of importance in a
number of philosophical fields, especially ethics. Humour often excites dis-
approval, and sometimes moral condemnation. When I was a child, my parents would habitually switch off the television, to my great irritation,
when comedy programmes became too ‘smutty’ (or ‘near the knuckle’ as my
father would say). Today, fewer people are embarrassed by sexual humour,
but there remain many forms that regularly cause offence.
