A Brief Investigation on the Moral Value of Laughter and Making Somebody Laugh

Laughter is one of the fundamental features of the human species. This distinctive and natural feature of man has been the subject of moral investigations by philosophers. Philosophers debating the moral value of laughter have also examined the act of making somebody laugh in connection with this. Some philosophers regarded the acts of laughter and making somebody laugh as important as virtues; some of them labeled both as morally wrong. This article discusses how Islamic philosophers of the classical period evaluated the acts of laughter and making somebody laugh in their investigations into morality and where they positioned them in the process of moral perfection. As a result of the discussion, the article reached the following conclusions: Islamic philosophers agree that a morally negative situation arises if the acts of laughter and making somebody laugh are excessive. However, there is a dissent among the philosophers about the new value they will morally gain if they are displayed in moderation. Some philosophers claim that they will be virtues, while others argue that they will continue to have the same negative value from the moral point of view.