Material for Laughter (Stoff zum Lachen) in Kants Third Critique one can expect as much from the

talent of the Germans correct understanding and his deeply reflecting reason as from every other great nation which is capable of the highest culture. The only exception lies in the domain of wit and artistic taste, where, perhaps, he may not be equal to the rench, !nglish, and "talians.# Kant, $nthropology from a %ragmatic %oint of &iew' ())*()+ Joking is an art form and, hence, a social act requiring social sensitivities. Specifically, according to Kants analysis in the ,ritique of -udgment, joking is a species of aesthetic art. Using his ta onomy, !e might call it the art of ta"le humor. #f the t!o categories of aesthetic art, fine art intends to "e pleasura"le to society $Gesellschaft% !hen it is merely judged $&'()**'%, !hile agreea"le art intends to "e pleasura"le to a party $Gesellschaft% through sensi"le gratification $&'()**(%. +or Kant, ta"le humor is included among the party,gratifying arts. -a"le humor is of nota"le importance for Kant "ecause it involves the play of aesthetic ideas $&'&)**&%. -he difference to "e noted "et!een fine arts and a gratifying art such as ta"le humor is that in the latter, gratification is not constituted "y the harmonious free play of these aesthetic ideas or presentations. .ather, the harmony !e find in the aesthetic material for laughter is a /necessary vehicle0 for the gratification !e feel from it, and the gratification is actually constituted "y /the fact that !e can reach the "ody through the soul as !ell, and use the soul as the physician of the "ody0 $&'*)***%. 1espite lacking the status of a fine art, the art of ta"le humor can "e in good or "ad taste. 2n this !ay, it has a moral dimension that recommends a particular !ay of making jokes. -he material for laughter $ .toff /um 0achen%, as Kant calls it, upon !hich jokes are parasitic, is a set of narrative e pectations. 3aughter can sometimes arise if one of these e pectations or a set of them /is transformed into nothing0 $&'*)**&%. Joking is the art of setting up such e pectations and su"sequently transforming them into something une pected. -he transformation of an e pectation is a matter of good or "ad taste. 2nterestingly, Kant !rites that these e pectations actually transform into nothing. 2 do not take Kant to mean that all jokes are the transformation of e pectations into nothing. 4s an agreea"le art, joking is concerned !ith the gratification of the party, and so certain kinds of jokes, particularly those !hich could potentially stilt gratification or cause grief, are to "e avoided or very cautiously employed. 2f the tense e pectations set up in a joke turn out to "e different from !hat !as anticipated yet relevant to the listeners, they could cause malicious, "itter laughter, or they could "e simply hurtful. 5oth of these results are indications that a joke is in "ad taste. 2f the e pectations transform into nothing, grief is not a possi"ility, and the only !ork that remains for the jester is to tell the joke !ell. 2n Kants $nthropology from a %ragmatic %oint of &iew, he offers an inventory of four types of laughter. -his list and characteristics corresponding to each type strengthen the current interpretation of the art of joking in the third ,ritique. 6alicious or "itter laughter is hostile, mechanical or spiritless laughter is unsavory, and no laughter at all, Kant says, is peevish or pedantic $4nthro. (7(%. 2mportantly,

the fourth type, good,natured laughter, is characteristically socia"le. +or Kant, a partys engagement of material for laughter is symptomatic of that materials tastefulness. 4llo!ing oneself to "e made a fool of, for e ample, is evidence of /"ad taste,0 !hile making a fool of another is evidence of /callous moral feeling0 $4nthro. (7&%. -he tastefulness of a joke seems determined "y the e tent to !hich it is good,natured and gratifying to all involved. 8hether or not laughter is really masculine $4nthro. (9'%, !hether it aids digestion $4nthro. (9:%, or !hether court jesters can "e e cused of "ad taste $4nthro. (7&%, it is clear that material for laughter is a fitting part of Kants system, not an ad hoc addendum. 5enjamin ;enk &9 +e"ruary &'(&