FYSP 160 - Satire & the Uses of Laughter

Semester Offered: First Semester
Credits (Range): 4 hours
Attribute: 4HU, WRi

Why do we laugh? Are some things just plain funny? Does someone always have to be the butt of the joke? Is laughter an effective means of inspiring self-awareness and bringing about change? In this course we will explore various philosophies of laughter in order to think about its relationship to satire. Our investigation of satire will focus on the question of how satire works both negatively, as a critique of social ills, and positively, to supply, however indirectly, solutions to the problems it delights in exposing. We will work with novels, essays, philosophical writings, film, and television to explore these issues. Enrollment Limit 14.
Instructor: L. Baudot