Universal Theory of Humor Developed
FILED UNDER: Humor, News. Science.
It may not be the elusive Unified Field Theory, but a universal theory of humor comes in a close second, at least in terms of perceived impossibility. In a report titled The Pattern Recognition Theory of Humor, Alastair Clarke has documented how and why humans find situations humorous, as well as explaining why humor is common in all societies.
“For some time now it’s been assumed that a global theory of humour is impossible. This theory changes thousands of years of incorrect analyses and mini-theories that have applied to only a small proportion of instances of humour. It offers a vital answer as to why humour exists in every human society.”
Humour is not about comedy it is about a fundamental cognitive function. Clarke explains: “An ability to recognize patterns instantly and unconsciously has proved a fundamental weapon in the cognitive arsenal of human beings.” Recognising patterns enables us to quickly understand our environment and function effectively within it: language, which is unique to humans, is based on patterns.
Clarke’s theory has wider implications: “It sheds light on infantile cognitive development, will lead to a revision of tests on ‘humour’ to diagnose psychological or neurological conditions and will have implications regarding the development of language. It will lead to a clarification of whether other animals have a sense of humour, and has an important role to play in the production of artificial intelligence being that will feel a bit less robotic thanks to its sense of humour.”
This research may explain why Mike Meyer's next movie, The Love Guru, appears totally void of humor: we've seen all of the jokes before when it was wrapped in an Austin Powers package.
Read More (Source: Science Daily)
