The Logic of Comedy by Maclain Hunter

Authored by Maclain Hunter · first-party-authored · authored-foundational-record

Stored 4P source diagnostic: clear · finding no_violation_detected · admission admitted_provisionally. This intake result is separate from the theorem checks of the exact propositional sequent.

The Logic of Comedy by Maclain Hunter Abstract: This is intended to be a foundational treatise in an often overlooked or informal field - the “Logic and Nature of Comedy”. Comedy is often not considered a science or something we apply formal logics to, but that is a missed opportunity in my view, and something that gives me an avenue to make a mark on comedy in the way I do the study of Logic, by thinking about and formalizing things others may not have. In comedy there are key philosophical questions, like what it is that makes something funny, or not funny, and whether something that is funny is also in the same context good and moral, or if the humor and laughing at certain jokes is somehow a moral offense. These are not questions and things best left to informality or even people who are merely comedians. A logician with a sense of humor can tackle these questions well. That is where I come in. Note that forms of humor include irony and observation, and that treating something as (typically) informal and casual as comedy with such formal seriousness is itself an example of something that can be considered humorous because of its deviation from normalcy and it’s self-aware intentionality in that (ie - its odd but it’s not odd by accident). That makes this proof and exploration of comedy an example of the very sort of thing it theorizes about. Premises: P: What is funny in the truest and most logical sense must be what is funny according to Truth and Logic - in context and with context fully accounted for. Q: What is funny subjectively is not necessarily what is funny objectively but both objective and subjective humor are forms of humor that can make someone laugh. R: What offends someone is not necessarily unfunny, as the irony and humor can be lost on the target of a joke while remaining present objectively, and in some contexts something can both be offensive to someone subjectively and objectively funny as a matter of the logical relationships involved. Humor doesn’t always have to be nice or make everyone feel good, though it can be more inclusive and fun when it isn’t unnecessarily offensive. S: Comedy is based in logical reasoning and Logic, logically speaking, and is often a matter of exposing quirky or unusual, or seemingly (or even “actually”) contradictory logical relationships. For example, there is the classic form of a “not joke” or sarcasm where the joke and humor exist in the context of pointing out the absurdity of something (or the logical contradiction), directly or indirectly, and then revealing that one does not (of course) subscribe to that view. T: Comedy can be about observation of Reality, not just the cliche of “making people laugh”. In theory a joke could make no one laugh, including the writer of it, and still be funny in an objective logical sense - beyond subjective senses of humor. Morality is defined by Logic (Universal Reason), not personal whims, and thus the morality of a joke that aligns with Reason (in context) is not only “not immoral” but would be moral/logical. U: Assume the negation of the premises for a moment, and that the premises are unsound and false. Entertaining that notion would lead to absurdities like comedy not being logical or based in reasoning, or that something has to be funny to a specific/finite being to be funny in general, which is not always or necessarily the case. The resolution of these inconsistencies can be found in accepting the premises as given and accepting that comedy is about logical relationships objectively, not subjective opinions (merely). It would also ignore, to some degree, the way that comedy has historically been a benefit, at least in some contexts, to society - helping people to heal from painful experiences and address them in a less serious and more uplifting light. Formal Reasoning: {P, P -> Q, Q -> R, R -> S, S -> T, T -> U} |= (((P & Q) & (R & S)) & T) & U) Conclusion: {P, Q, R, S, T, U}: Comedy is based on Logic, not what you think is funny. If you can’t accept that then the dynamic is unchanged and perhaps the joke is simply on you. Don’t think your feelings need to be catered to in the context of comedy (morally or logically), that’s absurd and self-centered in an irrational way where someone has an irrational expectation that the world has to stop laughing to avoid upsetting you. Good, logically coherent comedy is not only not immoral but is necessarily moral and an addition to the diversity of forms and colorfulness of Logic. It is not necessarily a betrayal of Reason to make fun of people. We cannot reasonably deny the potential for and precedent of comedy benefitting society. Truth Table Analysis: PQRSTU⎪P P→Q Q→R R→S S→T T→U╞((P&Q)&(R&S)&T)&U TTTTTT⎪T TTT TTT TTT TTT TTT TTT T TTT TT TT TTTTTF⎪T TTT TTT TTT TTT TFF TTT T TTT TT FF TTTTFT⎪T TTT TTT TTT TFF FTT TTT T TTT FF TT TTTTFF⎪T TTT TTT TTT TFF FTF TTT T TTT FF FF TTTFTT⎪T TTT TTT TFF FTT TTT TTT F TFF FT FT TTTFTF⎪T TTT TTT TFF FTT TFF TTT F TFF FT FF TTTFFT⎪T TTT TTT TFF FTF FTT TTT F TFF FF FT TTTFFF⎪T TTT TTT TFF FTF FTF TTT F TFF FF FF TTFTTT⎪T TTT TFF FTT TTT TTT TTT F FFT FT FT TTFTTF⎪T TTT TFF FTT TTT TFF TTT F FFT FT FF TTFTFT⎪T TTT TFF FTT TFF FTT TTT F FFT FF FT TTFTFF⎪T TTT TFF FTT TFF FTF TTT F FFT FF FF TTFFTT⎪T TTT TFF FTF FTT TTT TTT F FFF FT FT TTFFTF⎪T TTT TFF FTF FTT TFF TTT F FFF FT FF TTFFFT⎪T TTT TFF FTF FTF FTT TTT F FFF FF FT TTFFFF⎪T TTT TFF FTF FTF FTF TTT F FFF FF FF TFTTTT⎪T TFF FTT TTT TTT TTT TFF F TTT TT FT TFTTTF⎪T TFF FTT TTT TTT TFF TFF F TTT TT FF TFTTFT⎪T TFF FTT TTT TFF FTT TFF F TTT FF FT TFTTFF⎪T TFF FTT TTT TFF FTF TFF F TTT FF FF TFTFTT⎪T TFF FTT TFF FTT TTT TFF F TFF FT FT TFTFTF⎪T TFF FTT TFF FTT TFF TFF F TFF FT FF TFTFFT⎪T TFF FTT TFF FTF FTT TFF F TFF FF FT TFTFFF⎪T TFF FTT TFF FTF FTF TFF F TFF FF FF TFFTTT⎪T TFF FTF FTT TTT TTT TFF F FFT FT FT TFFTTF⎪T TFF FTF FTT TTT TFF TFF F FFT FT FF TFFTFT⎪T TFF FTF FTT TFF FTT TFF F FFT FF FT TFFTFF⎪T TFF FTF FTT TFF FTF TFF F FFT FF FF TFFFTT⎪T TFF FTF FTF FTT TTT TFF F FFF FT FT TFFFTF⎪T TFF FTF FTF FTT TFF TFF F FFF FT FF TFFFFT⎪T TFF FTF FTF FTF FTT TFF F FFF FF FT TFFFFF⎪T TFF FTF FTF FTF FTF TFF F FFF FF FF FTTTTT⎪F FTT TTT TTT TTT TTT FFT F TTT TT FT FTTTTF⎪F FTT TTT TTT TTT TFF FFT F TTT TT FF FTTTFT⎪F FTT TTT TTT TFF FTT FFT F TTT FF FT FTTTFF⎪F FTT TTT TTT TFF FTF FFT F TTT FF FF FTTFTT⎪F FTT TTT TFF FTT TTT FFT F TFF FT FT FTTFTF⎪F FTT TTT TFF FTT TFF FFT F TFF FT FF FTTFFT⎪F FTT TTT TFF FTF FTT FFT F TFF FF FT FTTFFF⎪F FTT TTT TFF FTF FTF FFT F TFF FF FF FTFTTT⎪F FTT TFF FTT TTT TTT FFT F FFT FT FT FTFTTF⎪F FTT TFF FTT TTT TFF FFT F FFT FT FF FTFTFT⎪F FTT TFF FTT TFF FTT FFT F FFT FF FT FTFTFF⎪F FTT TFF FTT TFF FTF FFT F FFT FF FF FTFFTT⎪F FTT TFF FTF FTT TTT FFT F FFF FT FT FTFFTF⎪F FTT TFF FTF FTT TFF FFT F FFF FT FF FTFFFT⎪F FTT TFF FTF FTF FTT FFT F FFF FF FT FTFFFF⎪F FTT TFF FTF FTF FTF FFT F FFF FF FF FFTTTT⎪F FTF FTT TTT TTT TTT FFF F TTT TT FT FFTTTF⎪F FTF FTT TTT TTT TFF FFF F TTT TT FF FFTTFT⎪F FTF FTT TTT TFF FTT FFF F TTT FF FT FFTTFF⎪F FTF FTT TTT TFF FTF FFF F TTT FF FF FFTFTT⎪F FTF FTT TFF FTT TTT FFF F TFF FT FT FFTFTF⎪F FTF FTT TFF FTT TFF FFF F TFF FT FF FFTFFT⎪F FTF FTT TFF FTF FTT FFF F TFF FF FT FFTFFF⎪F FTF FTT TFF FTF FTF FFF F TFF FF FF FFFTTT⎪F FTF FTF FTT TTT TTT FFF F FFT FT FT FFFTTF⎪F FTF FTF FTT TTT TFF FFF F FFT FT FF FFFTFT⎪F FTF FTF FTT TFF FTT FFF F FFT FF FT FFFTFF⎪F FTF FTF FTT TFF FTF FFF F FFT FF FF FFFFTT⎪F FTF FTF FTF FTT TTT FFF F FFF FT FT FFFFTF⎪F FTF FTF FTF FTT TFF FFF F FFF FT FF FFFFFT⎪F FTF FTF FTF FTF FTT FFF F FFF FF FT FFFFFF⎪F FTF FTF FTF FTF FTF FFF F FFF FF FF Q.E.D.

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Logic-centered continuity

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