To laugh or not to laugh

According to Plato, laughter diminishes self-control. The Stoics and early Christian thinkers agreed, warning against excessive laughter or even laughter generally. In this talk, I shall evaluate some key arguments from laughter critics. I shall then present the case for laughter regulating emotions, enhancing self-control, and contributing to well-being. If time allows, I shall invite you to participate in laughter exercises and you can judge for yourself the truth of the claim “laughter is the best medicine”.