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When you think about\xa0wit, what comes to mind? Someone who's quick with a funny remark?\n\nMy guest today says that while humor is one part of\xa0wit, it's really better thought of in a broader way, as a kind of "improvisational intelligence."\xa0His name is James Geary, and he's the author of\xa0Wit's End: What\xa0Wit\xa0Is, How It Works, and Why We Need It.\xa0Today\xa0on the show, we discuss all things witty. We begin our conversation describing\xa0the nature of\xa0wit, and how it's linked to one's all-around sense of resourcefulness. James then makes the case that instead of getting our contempt, puns should actually be praised as a sophisticated form of\xa0wit. We then dig into what fencing and jazz can teach us about the role of improvisation in\xa0wit, why we need\xa0wit\xa0more than ever these days, and what you can do to start being a bit more witty. \n\nGet the show notes at aom.is/wit.