Indifference

This is something I haven't come across on any other threads. I am able to justify most aspects of human nature except for that one stitch which I believe is unique to humans: Laughter.

What circumstances/biology made the first person laugh; what was beneficial about the laughter?

Atheist121

Just a short comment to make: I don't think laughter is unique to humans. I read a study a short while ago about dogs laughing (their laugh is inaudible to the human ear). Also, I would think that several other species of primate laugh, though I've never actually heard anything about it.

wdog

we needed a way to tolerate religion

Gregg

I've never understood why some folks question why evolution would select for self-aware creatures that can laugh, or feel joy, or appreciate their surroundings. I mean, ask yourself--don't these things help you cope with life and its hardships? If you couldn't laugh, if you felt miserable all the time, if you got no pleasure to speak of out of existence, why would you keep on going? Obviously, those primates who enjoyed life a little more than their fellows were somewhat more likely to survive and pass on their genes.

Many species indulge in "play," even play that has no obvious connection to learning to hunt and/or gather. Dogs vigorously wag their tails and "smile," chimps may actually "laugh" and they certainly play, and dolphins almost certainly have a sense of humor.

As is often pointed out, if a particular trait confers even the tiniest advantage, nature is likely to select for it. Among creatures of higher intelligence, laughter--or really, I think, "joie de vivre," of which laughter is only one expression, although a very important one-- evidently conferred such an advantage.

I've also read about research that shows laughter confers physical benefits, such as increased energy and alertness, heightened blood flow, general stimulation of the body, etc. Yet another advantage for the laughter-prone over humorless sourpusses.

Gregg

Camaban

As an example on the benefits of laughter, in some ME prisons (the ones where they try new things that aren't simply a new form of torture) in rehabilitation for murderers, etc, they have about half an hour of just laughing each day.

Laughter is extremely beneficial to us.

Kuu

Maybe a cats purring is a little similar to our laughter. Cats will purr when they are happy and also when they are scared or nervous.

Starboy

I would think that being able to find some joy in life would be of great benefit to wanting to stay alive. I suppose it is similar in principal to the pleasure obtained during sex. It too has much to do with preserving the species.

Starboy

beoba

Perhaps laughter is a means to bond closer to peers. Laughter could be a way to strengthen the community.

Gregg

Add that to the list of benefits. Even if that's not how laughter actually got started, it may have had all sorts of "accidental" benefits like this.

No offense to the original poster, but again, I just don't understand folks who argue that laughter, a sense of humor, the ability to appreciate "beauty" in nature, etc. don't confer any survival advantage. This reflects a misunderstanding of evolution, a belief that only the meanest, nastiest, most cold-blooded "killing machines" survive. Sure, nature's "red in tooth and claw" but that's hardly all there is to survival.

Gregg

Laurentius

An ape's handicap will arouse anger among the members of its community and the handicapped ape will eventually find itself excluded from any groups, which will trigger its premature death.

Although unfair, the human laughter allows a certain tolerance toward the handicapped members of the community, which must have ensured a significant survival advantage since our species has been able to become so widespread.

AVE