Laughter and comedy

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A sense of humour – even a dark one – is a moral virtue

A sense of humour is a moral virtue that can help people flourish, even in dire conditions that are conducive to unhappiness

by Mark Alfano & Mandi Astola

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Just when in history did men decide that women are not funny?

Women have been witty and bawdy throughout history. It’s only recently that men haven’t been able to see their funny side

by Joy Wiltenburg

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When will humorous AIs press our buttons with their jokes?

A sense of humour is a tough test of an AI. Our devices won’t be truly smart until they know how to make us laugh

by Tony Veale

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Party-crashing was a serious business in medieval Arabic tales

More than just a light-hearted figure of fun, the medieval party-crasher had a multi-layered role in Arabic morality tales

by Emily Selove