The Life and Ideas of Henri Bergson
Henri Bergson (1859–1941) was a French philosopher best known for his pioneering work on time, consciousness, and creativity—and yes, laughter. In 1900, he published “Le Rire: Essai sur la signification du comique” (translated as Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic), a short but sharp book that explored what makes us laugh and why it matters.
“The only cure for vanity is laughter, and the only fault that is laughable is vanity.”
“The attitudes, gestures and movements of the human body are laughable in exact proportion as that body reminds us of a mere machine.”
“Laughter appears to stand in need of an echo. Listen to it carefully: it is not an ordinary sound, articulated and clear; it is something which would fain continue to resound beyond its immediate causes.”