Ha!: The Science of When We Laugh and Why

Author: Scott WeemsPublisher: Basic BooksHardcover:ISBN 10: 9780465031702ISBN 13: 978-0465031702An entertaining tour of the science of humor and laughterHumor, like pornography, is famously difficult to define. We know it when we see it, but is there a way to figure out what we really find funny--and why?In this fascinating investigation into the science of humor and laughter, cognitive neuroscientist Scott Weems uncovers what's happening in our heads when we giggle, guffaw, or double over with laughter. While we typically think of humor in terms of jokes or comic timing, in Ha! Weems proposes a provocative new model. Humor arises from inner conflict in the brain, he argues, and is part of a larger desire to comprehend a complex world. Showing that the delight that comes with "getting" a punchline is closely related to the joy that accompanies the insight to solve a difficult problem, Weems explores why surprise is such an important element in humor, why computers are terrible at recog