Jokes: Philosophical Thoughts on Joking Matters by Cohen Ted

Author:Cohen, Ted [Cohen, Ted]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Chicago Press - A
Published: 2001-05-01T05:00:00+00:00

(Genesis 17:15-17)

Why is Abraham laughing? Exactly what is he laughing at? Is he laughing at the idea that a child might be born to a couple whose combined age is 190 years? Why is that idea laughable? Does Abraham think it is impossible that there be such a birth? No. Abraham might accept the possibility of such a birth, but he cannot comprehend it. Does this mean that Abraham has no faith? No: it means that he is a human being. Human beings are marked by their ability to understand, but as Kant insists, they are marked as well by the limits of what they can understand. Abraham cannot begin to understand how this birth could be. It is the same for Sarah, a woman who frequently understands more than her husband: [By the terebinths of Mamre] they said to him,

“Where is your wife Sarah?” And he replied, “There, in

the tent.” Then one said, “I will return to you when life

is due, and your wife Sarah shall have a son!” Sarah was

listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind

him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in

years; Sarah had stopped having the periods of women.

And Sarah laughed to herself [in the Septuagint she

laughs aloud], saying, “Now that I am withered, am I to

have enjoyment—with my husband so old?” Then the

Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying,

‘Shall I in truth bear a child, old as I am?’ Is anything

too wondrous for the Lord? I will return to you at the

time that life is due, and Sarah shall have a son.” Sarah

lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was frightened.

But He replied, “You did laugh.”

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