46. Comedy

summary:

Aristotle was a great philospher who wrote many comedies and tragedies. There were apparently certain characteristics of comedy that needed to be fit:
-men lower than ordinary
-low status
-freedom
-not serious
-optimism
-pleasure
-cathexis

Questions:
1. Explain Aristotle's theory that art is based on imitation.

2. How does comedy fit into Aristotle's theory of art? Does that explain why sitcoms are so popular?

3. What other theories of art are there? Explain how they work.

4. What are the arguments in the debate on media violence? How do you feel? Justify your position.

5. What's the difference between tragedy and comedy? Between carthexis and cartharis?

6. How does Girard's theory of "mimetic desire" explain how advertising works.