Philosophy with a Sense of Humor

Thomas Cathcart & Daniel Klein have published a primer on philosophy that will appeal to even the most philosophically disinclined. "Plato and a Platypus Walk into a bar . . ." is philosophy with a sense of humor. Really. The book's subtitle is "Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes."

The book is a delightful read. It is certain to introduce many intellectually reticent young people to the joys of critical thought and reflection. I suspect that it is destined to become a classic text.

There's a joke on every page. Sometimes two or three jokes on a page and every one of them illustrative of a philosophic insight. There's just enough discussion of philosophers and their beliefs to tease the reader into searching beyond the text for a fuller understanding.

Here's an example of a joke that reveals through humor the philosophic limitations of "inductive arguments from analogy" as predominant in the reasonings of advocates of "Intelligent Design:"

Three engineering students are discussing what sort of God must have designed the human body. The first says, "God must be a mechanical engineer. Look at all the joints."

The second says, "I think God must be an electrical engineer. The nervous system has thousands of electrical connections."

The third says, "Actually, God is a civil engineer. Who else would run a toxic waste pipeline through a recreational area?"