Philosopher and avid joke teller Ted Cohen to be next guest of the Syracuse Symposium 2004: Humor

Philosopher and avid joke teller Ted Cohen to be next guest of the Syracuse Symposium 2004: HumorNovember 03, 2004Kelly Homan Rodoskikahoman@syr.edu

The Syracuse Symposium 2004: Humor at Syracuse University will continue this semester with a Nov. 11 appearance by Ted Cohen, professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago. Cohen’s presentation, which is co-sponsored by the Department of Philosophy in The College of Arts and Sciences, will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Shemin Auditorium, located in the Shaffer Art Building. The event is free and open to the public.

Cohen is a philosopher, which, in itself is not so funny. But Cohen avidly studies jokes and is interested in how they work-or don’t. In his 1999 book, “Jokes: Philosophical Thoughts on Joking Matters” (University of Chicago Press), Cohen takes the reader on a philosophical exploration of humor, considering questions of audience, selection of joke topics, and the ethnic character of jokes and their morality.

Cohen has special interests in the expertise in the philosophy of art, the history of the philosophy of art and the philosophy of language. He has taught at the University of Chicago since 1967. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Harvard University.

Syracuse Symposium is an intellectual festival, hosted by The College of Arts and Sciences, which celebrates interdisciplinary thinking, imagining and creating. The theme for the Fall 2004 Symposium is humor. The concluding keynote speaker/performer for the semester-long series is actress and performer Anna Deavere Smith, who will appear at SU on Nov. 18.