Frontmatter -- Preface -- Contents -- PART 1. Preliminaries -- PART 1. Preliminaries -- Chapter 1. The mystery of humor and sundry further matters -- Chapter 2. The fundamental question of humor theory -- PART 2. Theory L and reason to conclude it is true -- PART 2. Theory L and reason to conclude it is true -- Chapter 3. Theory L -- Chapter 4. The laughter of humor, relaxation, and pleasure -- Chapter 5. The inapplicability of standard criticisms of "relief" theories -- Chapter 6. The explanatory power of theory L -- PART 3. Incongruity theory and reason to conclude it is unsound -- PART 3. Incongruity theory and reason to conclude it is unsound -- Chapter 7. Incongruity theory and the concept of incongruity -- Chapter 8. First probe of incongruity theory: two complementary arguments -- Chapter 9. Second probe of incongruity theory: its collapse into cognitive-shift theory -- Chapter 10. Third probe of incongruity theory: its lack of explanatory power -- Chapter 11. Fourth probe of incongruity theory: sundry arguments and points -- PART 4. Further development -- PART 4. Further development -- Chapter 12. Kant and Koestler on humor -- Chapter 13. The ultimate incongruity thesis and concluding reflections -- Summary of the case for theory L -- References -- Permissions -- Index