Short description:

An outstanding reference source to this exciting subject and the first collection of its kind. Essential reading for students and researchers within philosophy of games, philosophy of sport, digital aesthetics and game studies.

Long description:

Playing games is a basic human activity, and games raise a great number of fascinating philosophical questions. What, exactly, are we doing when we play a game? What is the value of games for human life? What is the ontology of a game? And could games be, or someday become, a form of art?

Comprising twenty-seven chapters by an international team of contributors, The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Games is an outstanding reference source to the core concepts, problems and debates in this exciting subject, and is the first collection of its kind. Beginning with an Introduction by the editors, the Handbook is divided into five clear parts:

• Introduction and historical foundations


• Game ontology


• Play and players


• Aesthetics of games


• Ethics and values of games

Within these sections key topics are examined, including sport and games; rules in games; cheating in games; simulation; narrative in games; space in videogames; the nature of play; the body and play; avatars; the aesthetics of gameplay; violence; immersion; representation in games; race and gender in games; and many more.

The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Games is essential reading for students and researchers working in philosophy of games, philosophy of sport, digital aesthetics and game studies.

Table of Contents:

Introduction C. Thi Nguyen and John R. Sageng  Part 1: Introduction and Historical Foundations  1. What?s in a Game? Huizinga, Caillois and Conventional Behavior in Games Chad Carlson  2. Suits on Games and Their Value C. Thi Nguyen  3. Sport and Games - William Morgan  4. What is a Computer Game? Veli-Matti Karhulahti and John R. Sageng  Part 2: Game Ontology  5. Games as Rules Richard Royce  6. Cheating While Playing (and Cheating at Playing) A.J. Kreider  7. Existential ludology: Computer Games as Worlds Sebastian Möring and Olli Leino  8. Space in Computer Games Stephan Günzel  9. Simulations and Games Andreas Gregersen  10. Fiction and Narrative in Videogames Grant Tavinor  Part 3: Play and Players  11. Magic Circles and the Separateness of Play Jaakko Stenros  12. The Variable Nature of Play Annika Waern  13. The Body and Varieties of Play R. Scott Kretchmar  14. Avatarhood Rune Klevjer  Part 4: Aesthetics of Games  15. On Ludic Beauty: Kant, Schiller and the Aesthetics of Gameplay Daniel Vella  16. Game Immersion: The Experience of Virtual Environment Habitation Gordon Calleja  17. Analysing Interactivity and the Performative Actions of Games Shelby Moser  18. Hermeneutics of Play Jonne Arjoranta  19. Representation in Games Ida J?rgensen and Pawel Grabarzcyk  20. Aesthetics of Sport Andrew Edgar  Part 5: Ethics and Values of Games  21. Critical Theory and the Computer Game Graeme Kirkpatrick  22. Race and Gender in Games Stephanie Patridge  23. Representations of Violence in Games Christopher Bartel  24. Critical Overview of Technological Enhancement in sport Emily Ryall  25. Games, Rule Violations, and Fair Play Sigmund Loland  26. Playing a Good Life Miguel Sicart  27. Bernard Suits on the Value of Autotelic Gameplay Christopher C. Yorke.  Index