IAS 'On Laughter': The Eudaimonia of Laughter - perspective from neuroscience

It has been said that a "... smile is the shortest distance between two persons", which often leads to the joy of shared laughter. The joy of social bonding is central to the life well-lived, to flourish, and to ultimately have a good life, conceptualised by Aristotle as "eudaimonia", and closely linked to "hedonia" (pleasure). I will review our recent neuroscience findings that have shed new light on the underlying brain networks involved in these metastable states. I will show how emotional vocalisations in general, and laughter in particular, share many of brain networks and mechanisms with music in creating what is perhaps best described as "sweet anticipation"

This keynote talk is part of the conference 'On Laughter'. Please download the full programme here.