″… Now, the reason for this, and what makes it especially interesting, is in what it reveals about the origins of our humor instinct, which is that it clearly evolved not only before language, but also before we had higher brain functions that allowed hypothetical scenarios or sophisticated deception.”
When did it evolve? Do other primates have humor? Do dogs?
Yeah, both other apes and dogs have been found to have their own forms of laughter. It’s discussed in the last entry in the second paper with links to two studies.
Apes’ since of humor seems to be based entirely on physical fails, which makes a lot of sense since their use of tools and organization is limited (so I don’t think they’d develop the misplacement humor instinct). Dogs is based on their own forms of play, like mock hunting and chasing and those other activities, so I think it’s linked to what they see about your fitness in those matters.
Both other apes and dogs are social animals with breath control and, at the very least, an “ABC” level of intellect, so within what I’m claiming, it would make sense for them to develop laughter. Obviously this is something that can be investigated far further though.
Dogs is based on their own forms of play, like mock hunting and chasing and those other activities, so I think it’s linked to what they see about your fitness in those matters.
Do they engage in something like laughing during that activity?
Both other apes and dogs are social animals with breath control and, at the very least, an “ABC” level of intellect, so within what I’m claiming, it would make sense for them to develop laughter.
It might make sense based on your theory to make a few predictions for different species about which of those species should have something like humor and which don’t. If later someone investigates you could validate your thesis.
Yes I believe the dogs do, but I haven’t spent a lot of time dissecting this or being able to study it (maybe I can figure out something the next time I’m dogsitting for my cousin).
Regarding the second idea, that would probably be something good to do. Look at animals (other than humans) with breath control and consistent physical similarity, who thus have similar social situations as early man where they needed to organize themselves without knowing already who was the worker or the leader, and thus predict that they’d have a form of laughter.
I haven’t gone into the animal side of it too much yet, but I’ll keep that in mind.
Yes I believe the dogs do, but I haven’t spent a lot of time dissecting this or being able to study it (maybe I can figure out something the next time I’m dogsitting for my cousin).
If you manage to use your theory of humor to get the dog to laugh, that would show that you nailed some universal essence of humor.
When did it evolve? Do other primates have humor? Do dogs?
Yeah, both other apes and dogs have been found to have their own forms of laughter. It’s discussed in the last entry in the second paper with links to two studies.
Apes’ since of humor seems to be based entirely on physical fails, which makes a lot of sense since their use of tools and organization is limited (so I don’t think they’d develop the misplacement humor instinct). Dogs is based on their own forms of play, like mock hunting and chasing and those other activities, so I think it’s linked to what they see about your fitness in those matters.
Both other apes and dogs are social animals with breath control and, at the very least, an “ABC” level of intellect, so within what I’m claiming, it would make sense for them to develop laughter. Obviously this is something that can be investigated far further though.
Do they engage in something like laughing during that activity?
It might make sense based on your theory to make a few predictions for different species about which of those species should have something like humor and which don’t. If later someone investigates you could validate your thesis.
Yes I believe the dogs do, but I haven’t spent a lot of time dissecting this or being able to study it (maybe I can figure out something the next time I’m dogsitting for my cousin).
Here’s the link… http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/200911/do-dogs-laugh
Regarding the second idea, that would probably be something good to do. Look at animals (other than humans) with breath control and consistent physical similarity, who thus have similar social situations as early man where they needed to organize themselves without knowing already who was the worker or the leader, and thus predict that they’d have a form of laughter.
I haven’t gone into the animal side of it too much yet, but I’ll keep that in mind.
If you manage to use your theory of humor to get the dog to laugh, that would show that you nailed some universal essence of humor.