Do It Yourself Logic

A = C 

B = C

Therefore, A = B

...wanna try again? 

Polly Wanna Rational Cracker

Bob received a parrot for his birthday! 

The parrot was fully grown, with a bad attitude and a worse vocabulary. Every other word was an expletive, and the parrot was constantly cursing and swearing. Bob tried to change the bird's attitude by setting a good example, but the bird continued to swear as much as ever. 

This went on for several months until finally, in a moment of desperation, Bob put the parrot in the freezer. For a few minutes, he heard the bird squawking and cursing - and then suddenly it went quiet. 

Bob was afraid he had actually harmed the parrot and he quickly opened the freezer door. 

The parrot stepped out onto Bob's extended arm and said, "I'm sorry that I have offended you with my language and actions and I ask for your forgiveness. I will endeavor to correct my behavior." 

Bob was astonished at the bird's change in attitude and was about to ask what had caused such a drastic change when the parrot said: 

"Sir, may I ask what the chicken did?" 

Sometimes behavior and attitude changes as a rational response to new information. This parrot, for example, changed his attitude and demeanor when he was briefly placed in the freezer (punishment). 

The owner, potentially trying to "cool the bird off" thought that a few minutes in the freezer would rectify the cursing parrot's attitude. He may not have realized that he inadvertently placed the parrot next to a frozen breast of chicken. (inadvertent mistake)

Relating evolutionarily to the chicken, the parrot (1) recognized that his owner could affect his existence; (2) believed he was being punished for his behavior; (3) rectified his behavior with a renewed sense of proper decorum.  (inferential mistake)

Essentially, for the parrot, he changes his behavior, but only because of an inferential mistake. 

Does it count? 

Irrational Jokes

The Relevance of Context

Two guys are walking down the street when a mugger approaches them and demands their money. They both grudgingly pull out their wallets and begin taking out their cash. Just then one guy turns to the other and hands him a bill. 

"Here's that $20 I owe you." 

This is an example of an incongruity between the guy's rational behavior - paying back the loan - and the context in which he pays it back. Since he's being robbed, he might as well pay back the loan at the same time. Paying back the loan is perfectly rational, paying it back under these circumstances is not. That's what makes it funny. 

Differentiating the Rational from the Irrational

Two friends decide to take an expensive fishing trip to Montana but after a week of fishing they only manage to catch one fish. On the way home, one friend says to the other, "The way I figure it, that fish cost us $5,000."  "Yeah," his friend replies, "Good thing we didn't catch more." 

Jokes can help us recognize when we don't have a clear grasp on what is rational. They're gentle reminders that we aren't always the best judges of what's rational and what's not. In real life, irrationality is usually more subtle, but there are still practical consequences to these errors in rational judgment. 

Nearly everyone holds contradictory beliefs. Often times, sophisticated reasoning is required to enable both beliefs to be held consistently. Contradictions cause tension, which is basically an intellectual balancing act between one belief and another. Abandoning one belief to maintain our balance requires intellectual effort and dexterity, otherwise we fail to reconcile the tension and the contradictory belief remains. 

Confucius Say...

2 Trillion...Oops! 

I think we've missed something...

Don't worry, they won't notice

I'll see you at our tea party...

Little did they know, 

behind the scenes, 

while they were sippin' tea,

We'll gladly serve to redirect that for you USA...

Whatever you had...

We've now got! 

Don't Judge a Joke by Its Cover

Joking is a valuable exercise that our mind's sense of reason can utilize to illuminate rational vs. irrational fallacies. Examining any belief system, whether old or new, involves having defensible reasons for what we believe and say. And sometimes, we have no defense. 


That's where joking can convey the nonemotional recognition of a seemingly illogical concept. Validity lies in the fact that we can clearly and reasonably convey that we recognize initial incongruities... but that we're gonna keep looking, anyway. 

Critical thinking examines the reasons we give for what we believe. Jokes are a fun, memorable way of showing others and reminding ourselves that even the most logical investigation can fall short in the reason department. Incongruities can cause confusion and undermine honest dialogue, but jokes can bring these fallacies to the forefront. The judgment transfers from the individual to the concept, which is exactly where judgment belongs - directed toward ideas, not people. 

How To Kill Time When You're Retired

1. Place your car keys in your right hand

2. With your left hand, call a friend and confirm a lunch date

3. Hang up the phone

4. Now look for your keys...

FOR ANSWERS: 

Turn your monitor upside down

Sometimes Humor's Just About Smiling