Items related to Illustrations of Universal Progress; A Series of Discussions
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1884 edition. Excerpt: ... IV. THE PHYSIOLOGY OF LAUGHTER. 'HY do we smile when a child puts on a man's hat f VV or what induces us to laugh on reading that the corpulent Gibbon was unable to rise from his knees after making a tender declaration? The usual reply to such questions is, that laughter results from a perception of incongruity. Even were there not on this reply the obvious criticism that laughter often occurs from extreme pleasure or from mere vivacity, there would still remain the real problem--How comes a sense of the incongruous to be followed by these peculiar bodily actions? Some have alleged that laughter is due to the pleasure of a relative selfelevation, which we feel on seeing the humiliation of others. But this theory, whatever portion of truth it may contain, is, in the first place, open to the fatal objection, that there are various humiliations to others which produce in us anything but laughter; and, in the second place, it does not apply to the many instances in which no one's dignity is implicated: as when we laugh at a good pun. Moreover, like the other, it is merely a generalization of certain conditions to laughter; and not an explanation of the odd movements which occur under these conditions. Why, when greatly delighted, or impressed with certain unexHXtJ8TEATION8 OF EEFLEX ACTION. 195 pected contrasts of ideas, should there be a contraction of particular fecial muscles, and particular muscles of the chest and abdomen? Such answer to this question as may be possible, can be rendered only by physiology. Every child has made the attempt to hold the foot still while it is tickled, and has failed; and probably there is scarcely any one who has not vainly tried to avoid winking, when a hand has been suddenly passed before the eyes. These...
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) was an English philosopher, political theorist, sociological theorist, author, and editor. He served in the later capacity for the "Economist" from 1843 to 1853. He is perhaps best known for applying evolutionary theory to social development and coined the term "survival of the fittest." His best known works are "Man versus the State" and the multi-volume "System of Synthetic Philosophy".
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherTheClassics.us
- Publication date2013
- ISBN 10 1230230343
- ISBN 13 9781230230344
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages148
- Rating
(No Available Copies)
Search Books: Create a WantIf you know the book but cannot find it on AbeBooks, we can automatically search for it on your behalf as new inventory is added. If it is added to AbeBooks by one of our member booksellers, we will notify you!
Create a Want