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Document Details :

Title: The Philosophical and Ethical Significance of Humour
Subtitle: The Simpsons as Humorous Ethical Truth-Telling
Author(s): DECLERCQ, Dieter
Journal: Ethical Perspectives
Volume: 20    Issue: 2   Date: 2013   
Pages: 271-298
DOI: 10.2143/EP.20.2.2979754

Abstract :
Rooted in the Socratic care of self, Michel Foucault has outlined a trans-historical ethical truth-telling (ethical parrhesia) that breaks radically with established conventions and lifestyles. I will outline a humorous form of ethical truth-telling that relies on humour, irony and satire to battle and transform the social ethos. A handful of scholars have acknowledged the significance of humour to the Socratic care of self, but humour’s philosophical significance has nonetheless often been neglected. I will understand humour cognitively as incongruity and socially as perspective, and root my discussion of philosophical humour in irony as infinite absolute negativity (defined by the young Kierkegaard) and the image of the silenus (used by Alcibiades in Symposium). In contrast to the ‘pop culture and philosophy’ book series, my philosophical approach to popular culture will not be instrumental or introductory. Instead, I will discuss The Simpsons as a modern-day form of humorous ethical truth-telling, in a textual analysis that will understand the series in a tradition of limited animation and critical comedy.

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