Deiver de Melo

I am a PhD student in philosophy, exploring the intersection between philosophy of language and philosophy of humor. My research investigates how humor functions as a linguistic and social practice, particularly examining its role in silencing, subordination, and power dynamics. Drawing on pragmatics, speech act theory, and theories of incongruity, I analyze the mechanisms by which jokes reinforce or challenge social hierarchies. My work seeks to shed light on both normative consequences of jokes and the deeper philosophical nature of humor - how it is related to meaning, intention, and communicative action.

I have also interests in metaphilosophical discussions concerning how we decide among competing philosophical theories and the role theoretical virtues (such as simplicity, fruitfulness, and explanatory power) play in such decision. By examining the implicit norms guiding theory choice, I aim to clarify how philosophical debates are structured and how we might refine our criteria for assessing philosophical progress.