The Comedy of Error: Why evolution made us laugh

Description

What is humour? Why do we laugh? And how can we be funnier? What is humour? Why do we laugh? And how can we be funnier? Good jokes, bad jokes, clever jokes, dad jokes - the desire to laugh is universal. But why do we find some gags hilarious, whilst others fall flat? Can you train yourself to be funnier? And why does explaining a joke make it less amusing rather than more so? In The Comedy of Error, Professor Jonathan Silvertown explores the science and philosophy behind why we laugh, and shows that understanding how humour really works can provide endless entertainment. 'Jonathan Silvertown has written a thoroughly entertaining and erudite extended skit on the evolution of humour.' -Fiona Capp, Sydney Morning Herald 'In The Comedy of Error, Professor Silvertown deploys many of the world's oldest jokes, coupled with some of our latest science, to unravel the similarities and differences in humour across cultures ... A clever piece of work.' -Ross Fitzgerald, Spectator Australia 'This book is funny ... I think most people, male or female, will find this book amusing.' -The Sunday Times

Jonathan Silvertown is professor of evolutionary ecology in the Institute of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Edinburgh. He is the author of seven previous books.