To be taken seriously is an accolade for the thinker. But from Nietzsche to Derrida, big ideas have been expressed through irony, satire and jest. Might comedy be the best and perhaps only way to convey some truths, or is truth never a laughing matter?
In this debate from HowTheLightGetsIn 2015, philosopher Julian Baggini, stand-up comedian Katie Brand and continental philosopher John Ó Maoilearca debate the nature of comedy and reality.
This video was produced by The Institute of Art and Ideas and is republished here with permission. It was filmed at HowTheLightGetsIn 2015 alongside 200 other debates and talks, all available for free at IAI TV. Their new podcast, Philosophy for our times, is available here.
