Bernie Freydberg, Ph.D. is a much- published professor of philosophy at Slippery Rock University, whose most recent book is Philosophy and Comedy: Aristophanes, Logos and Eros.  He is now preparing The Play of the Platonic Dialogues for publication.  He is also a leading authority on punch-lines, being both an expert on the sweet science of boxing and a compendium for funny jokes.

Arthur Levine, M.D. is Pitt’s senior vice chancellor for Health Sciences and dean of the medical school.  A researcher in molecular biology, he was formerly the scientific director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in NIH, where he worked for 31 years.  He majored in comparative literature at Columbia and edited its literary journal.