Podcast appearances and mentions of bernard suits

“Systems are very good at being resilient,” and “Systems are very good at dehumanizing,” are sentiments that anyone who has worked in organizational transformation or systems change can appreciate. Luke Roberts is the COO and co-founder of HighFive and a speaker at the upcoming Advancing Service Design Conference. As a self-proclaimed "systems provocateur," Luke emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying dynamics of any system, whether it's in education, healthcare, or corporate environments. He and Lou discuss the intricacies of how systems operate and the challenges faced when attempting to provoke meaningful transformation, often drawing on relatable insights from Luke's work within education systems. One of the standout insights from the conversation is the vital role of time in enacting change. Luke argues that significant systems change requires a long-term commitment, with research indicating that anything less than three years typically fails to yield lasting results. This understanding is crucial, especially when organizations often seek quick wins that can lead to a cycle of temporary fixes without addressing deeper issues. Ultimately, our discussion reveals that provoking change is not just about identifying problems or changing individuals; it's about creating a collective vision and investing the time and energy required to realize it. As we navigate complex systems across various sectors, embracing the challenge of systems change can lead to meaningful and sustainable transformation. What You'll Learn from this Episode: - The Nature of Systems Change: Understanding that systems are complex and often resistant to change, requiring a nuanced approach to provoke transformation. - The Importance of Time: Recognizing that meaningful systems change typically takes at least three years, challenging the desire for quick wins and highlighting the need for long-term commitment. - Energy Dynamics in Systems: Exploring how the flow of information and attention affects change efforts, and how misdirection can stall progress. - Collaboration Across Stakeholders: The necessity of fostering collaboration among all participants—whether in education, healthcare, or corporate environments—to create a shared vision for change. - Provocation as a Tool for Change: Learning how to challenge existing norms and behaviors within a system without blaming individuals, thereby encouraging open dialogue and reflection. - Practical Examples and Insights: Gaining insights from real-world examples, such as the education system, to illustrate how systemic issues can perpetuate negative outcomes and the strategies needed to address them. Quick Reference Guide: 0:14 - Meet Luke 2:40 - An example of change at a system level - bullying in schools 5:50 - Helpful frameworks - mapping and metaphors 9:06 - Why training individuals is not a long-term solution 14:00 - The window of change 18:13 - 5 reasons to use the Rosenverse 20:28 - Provoking systems 24:58 - Flow of energy 28:49 - Luke's gift for listeners Resources and Links from Today's Episode: Advancing Service Design - December 3-4, 2024 https://rosenfeldmedia.com/advancing-service-design/ The Grasshopper: Games, Life, and Utopia by Bernard Suits https://www.amazon.com/Grasshopper-Third-Games-Life-Utopia/dp/1554812151/ Leading Schools and Sustaining Innovation by Luke Roberts https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Schools-Sustaining-Innovation-Roberts/dp/1032015624/

FIGURING POKER ODDS IS MUCH LIKE FIGURING PRESIDENTAIL CONTEST ODDS:  1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. 1450 FRANCE

FIGURING POKER ODDS IS MUCH LIKE FIGURING PRESIDENTAIL CONTEST ODDS:  2/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. 1315 FRANCE

FIGURING POKER ODDS IS MUCH LIKE FIGURING PRESIDENTAIL CONTEST ODDS:  3/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. 1596

FIGURING POKER ODDS IS MUCH LIKE FIGURING PRESIDENTAIL CONTEST ODDS:  4/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. 1700

In this episode, Daniel and Kevin explore the concept of play and its distinction from work. They discuss how play is fundamentally non-instrumental, meaning it is not a means to an end. Play can generate its own purpose and goals, which are often short-lived and inconsequential but deeply meaningful. They reference the work of philosopher Bernard Suits, who argues that our true human identity is as the grasshopper, a playful creature, despite societal pressures to be like the ant, focused on work. Play and games are interconnected, as play requires some structure or rules to create a sense of playfulness. Play is defined as the voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles. It is non-instrumental, meaning it is not a means to an end. Play is also unnecessary, but it is essential for human beings. It allows us to be fully human and brings meaning to our lives. Play can be structured or unstructured, but it always involves accepting certain obstacles or rules. It is distinct from work, which is instrumental and necessary for survival. Play is wired into our nature and is a fundamental part of being human. Takeaways Play is fundamentally non-instrumental, meaning it is not a means to an end Play can generate its own purpose and goals, which are often short-lived and inconsequential but deeply meaningful Our true human identity is as the grasshopper, a playful creature, despite societal pressures to be focused on work Play and games are interconnected, as play requires some structure or rules to create a sense of playfulness Play is the voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles It is non-instrumental and not a means to an end Play is unnecessary but essential for human beings It can be structured or unstructured, but always involves accepting certain obstacles or rules Play is distinct from work, which is instrumental and necessary for survival Play is wired into our nature and is a fundamental part of being human Sound Bites "Play is fundamentally non-instrumental" "Play can generate its own end, its own goal" "Our true human identity is as the grasshopper" "The voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles" "It is the necessary unnecessary to be human" "Play is without a means to an end" Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Recap 11:12 The Non-Instrumental Nature of Play 30:49 Embracing Our Inner Grasshopper 32:53 Introduction and Dalek Voice 37:30 The Definition of Play 45:21 The Essentiality of Play 54:34 Structured vs Unstructured Play 56:21 The Distinction Between Play and Work 59:42 Wired for Play

Could AI's ability to make us fall in love with be our downfall? Will AI be like cars, machines that encourage us to be sedentary, or will we use it like a cognitive bicycle — extending our intellectual range while still exercising our minds?These are some of the questions raised by this week's guest Santiago Bilinkis. Santiago is a serial entrepreneur who's written several books about the interaction between humanity and technology. Artificial, his latest book, has just been released in Spanish.It's startling to reflect on how human intelligence has shaped the Earth. AI's effects may be much greater.Links: Santiago's book Artificial co-authored with Mariano Sigman Multiverses.xyzOutline:(00:00) Intro(2:31) Start of conversation — a decade of optimism and pessimism(4:45) The coming AI tidal wave(7:45) The right reaction to the AI rollercoaster: we should be excited and afraid(9:45) Nuclear equilibrium was chosen, but the developer of the next superweapon could prevent others from developing it(12:35) OpenAI has created a kind of equilibrium by putting AI in many hands(15:45) The prosaic dangers of AI(17:05) Hacking the human love system: AI's greatest threat?(19:45) Humans falling in love may not only be possible but inevitable(21:15) The physical manifestations of AI have a strong influence over our view of it(23:00) AI bodyguards to protect us against AI attacks(23:55) Awareness of our human biases may save use(25:00) Our first interactions with sentient AI will be critical(26:10) A sentient AI may pretend to not be sentient(27:25) Perhaps we should be polite to ChatGPT (I, for one, welcome our robot overlords)(29:00) Does AGI have to be conscious?(32:30) Perhaps sentience in AI can save us? It may make it reasonable(34:40) An AGI may have a meaningful link to us in virtue of humanity being its progenitor(37:30) ChatGPT is like a smart employee but with no intrinsic motivation(42:20) Will more data and more compute continue to pay dividends?(47:40) Imitating nature may not necessarily be the best way of building a mind(49:55) Is my job safe? How will AI change the landscape of work?(52:00) Authorship and authenticity: how to do things meaningfully, without being the best(54:50) Imperfection can make things more perfect (but machines might learn this)(57:00) Bernard Suits' definition of a game: meaning can be related to the means, not ends.(58:30) The Cognitive Bicycle: will AI make us cognitively sedentary or will it be a new way of exercising our intellect and extending its range?(1:01:24) Cognitive prosthetics have displaced some intellectual abilities but nurtured others(1:06:00) Without our cognitive prosthetics, we're pretty dumb(1:12:33) Will AI be a leveller in education?(1:15:00) The business model of exploiting human weaknesses is powerful. This must not happen with AI(1:24:25) Using AI to backup the minds of people

Join us for the follow-up on this month's interview with Faraz on AI in TTRPGs like D&D, Pathfinder and Mothership. Today, we dive into what AI means for the game and for our lives! How can we use it? What does it mean? ⁠⁠⁠Keep in touch on Twitter⁠⁠ and support us on Patreon! Sources: The vast knowledge of Faraz The Chinese Room Argument The Grasshopper, Bernard Suits, 2014.

Context Held at Glen Eyrie in Colorado Springs, next to Garden of Gods 5 days and 4 nights Sponsored by Office of Congregational Excellence of the Missouri Annual Conference of United Methodist Church About 33 participants - mostly clergy, but some lay persons as well The fourth of a series of spiritual formation retreats known as “Soul Connections” - this one was on the theme of “Enchantment” Stayed in a lodge, ate meals in the castle, hiked through surrounding hills and mountains Asked me to lead three 2-hour sessions on “Theology of Play” Day 1 - Introduction to Play Bernard Suits' definition of game – “the voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles” Talked about my own journey into gaming Research into gaming Games and play are essentially the same thing Play has been an essential part of the human condition (including adults) since the beginning of history Theologians interested in play too! Play as salvation Played “Just One” Reflect on how games help us be present to each other, gives us sense of agency Play as grace Parker Palmer - Play as sign of calling - asked folks to reflect Day 2 - Barriers to Play Told them Monopoly history If play is so good for us, why are we resistant to it? Told story of Bernard Suits' The Grasshopper except for the ending - including haunting dream Historical roots of barriers to play Reformation, Age of Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution “Earning” salvation was replaced with “proving” salvation Being productive was sign of virtue; being unproductive was sign of immorality “Morality of achievement” - Moltmann Turns human into cogs in machines “Pushback on idea of play as work which we want to do. Someone shared story of “workaholic” who said “my work is my play.” Played Wits & Wagers - reflection Reflection on Genesis 3:1-6 - Adam & Eve & serpent Sin was thinking we didn't need God or anyone else. We could prove our worth through our achievement. The greatest barrier to play is “practical atheism” - the belief that we can't rely on God, not really. We have to prove our worth and value by achieving and producing. Ending of the Grasshopper - everything is unnecessary from a utopian point of view (or cosmic scale), so all is play Day 3 - Toward a Playful Life 2 tools to help us move toward a playful life: Sabbath - Looked at the book The Sabbath by Joshua Abraham Heschel Sabbath hallows time like temples hallow space Just as a Sabbath is the end unto itself (not to “recharge”), so too is play. It is not in service to work. Jane McGonigal - Reality is Broken The opposite of work is not play, it is despair, hopelessness. Work is about having agency. So work is just play we want to do. So how can we make work more into something we want to do - gamification of life! How will world view us if we move toward a playful life? 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 Holy Fool Tradition Filling out “Character Creation Sheet” - make your own Holy Fool Self (Mandi Hutchinson) General Reflections 1. Made me wonder whether it would be helpful to lay out 3 terms, not just 2: 1. Play - voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles 2. Work - obligatory attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles 3. Rest - refraining from both of the above 2. More barriers to play for women than men 3. Character sheets - some were reluctant. Maybe pass out the day before to get people time to work on it. 4. Wits & Wagers didn't quite work as well as I hoped. Would replace next time with the Mind. 5. What seemed to resonate with people: 1. Suits' definition of games 2. Ending of Grasshopper - everything is unnecessary 3. Play as calling WE WANT TO DO THIS MORE! If you would like Kevin or Daniel or both to teach about the theology of play on your context, or serve as a resource in any other way, please let us know!

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 4/4: Before ChatGPT:  4/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 3/4: Before ChatGPT:  3/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 2/4: Before ChatGPT:  2/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 1/4: Before ChatGPT:  1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder. https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself.

Ideas behind the class What are board games, what is their history, how do they work, and why do they matter? Structuring the class I revisited some of our previous episodes – defining a game, Bernard Suits, Jane McGonigal Defining a board game history of board games mechanisms of board games (card drafting, worker placement, Euro, Ameritrash, bluffing, player elimination, trading, set collection) Games that teach history or lessons Games that are roleplaying and open-ended (TTRPG like D&D) Games and life, such as McGonigal Reality is Broken Magic circles: games and religion Board Game Lab: the experience of playing board games Documents in your syllabus that are familiar to the BGF community (The Grasshopper, Reality is Broken, Theology of Play, Meditations on Tarot), but a new addition is Nietzsche's Zarathustra. Games that we have played Kingdomino – Euro and set collection Secret Hitler – deception and social deduction Coup - deception and social deduction Pandemic (couldn't finish) – co-op game and so influential Freedom (couldn't finish) – a game that teaches Dune Imperium (couldn't finish) – card drafting, a race, worker placement, hand management Happy Salmon – silly party game that is fun but kind of pointless (which is part of the fun) Bohnanza – trading, set collection, hand management Things I have learned - What are you taking away from it? Spending time with young people is pretty wonderful It's great to do theory and then experience/practice, especially in a small group/pod setting People are different – one dude loves the social deduction and bluffing element of Coup, while someone else loves the soothing Euro game Kingdomino Youths catch on quickly, and they love games

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 1/4:  Seven Games: A Human History Hardcover – January 25, 2022  by  Oliver Roeder  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and Go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasurable. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last Go champion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism”; and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white Go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 2/4:  Seven Games: A Human History Hardcover – January 25, 2022  by  Oliver Roeder  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and Go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasurable. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last Go champion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism”; and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white Go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 3/4:  Seven Games: A Human History Hardcover – January 25, 2022  by  Oliver Roeder  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and Go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasurable. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last Go champion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism”; and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white Go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 4/4:  Seven Games: A Human History Hardcover – January 25, 2022  by  Oliver Roeder  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and Go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasurable. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last Go champion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism”; and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white Go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 1/4: The mysteries of how hard it is to cheat:  1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 2/4: The mysteries of how hard it is to cheat:  124: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 3/4: The mysteries of how hard it is to cheat:  3/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 4/4: The mysteries of how hard it is to cheat:  4/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 3/4: The simple magic of checkers: 3/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. Lawn Checkers 1900 @Batchelorshow 1/4: The simple magic of checkers: 1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 2/4: The simple magic of checkers: 2/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow 4/4: The simple magic of checkers: 1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last gochampion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human.

What would it mean to think of life as a game? Are games merely pastimes between serious endeavors, or is it an approach to life oriented around unnecessary obstacles and enjoyment? We touch on ideas about the meaning of life, happiness, and life as something useful versus life as something to be enjoyed. Human flourishing is ultimately found in graceful abundance, in which all we can ever really do is pursue meaningful activities (and play games). Perhaps God does indeed play dice with the universe. Join us our Discord here (https://discord.gg/zPnwy5J4).

Daniel and Kevin tackle the obvious question: is wining the point of playing games? How does a desire to win relate to the desire to have an enjoyable gaming experience, and what spiritual realities are present when we strive to be humble and gracious at a gaming table where the object is to win the game? We consider that games might be training us to win over other people, instead of being more loving and kind. Does love exclude winning? Yet much of life is about improvement, and even heaven must include aspects of winning and loss. Some board games use different mechanics and win conditions such as "sandbox" and "kingmaker" type games, and others are social deduction games where players deceive and lie. How do the words of Jesus (the last shall be first) relate to ideas of winning and losing?

We make a new attempt at an episode opening – an improv skit with pirates playing Carcassone! We discuss Carcassone a bit, lionize the word "eschew" and life points in general, and wrestle with Bernard Suits' definition of a game: "the voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles" (p. 43). Games require buy-in from participants who must agree to its rules, desire to best their competitors, and strive to be efficient within the games required inefficiencies. So how appropriate is it to conceive of God engaging in play and games? Kevin attempts to quote the Quran in thinking through God's delight in obstacles and complexities, and Daniel points to delight and grace. Shout out to @jtaultesq on Instagram for correctly identifying Concept in our Instagram quiz! linktr.ee/boardgamefaith patreon.com/boardgamefaith

Photo:  Cossack game, 1817 2/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last go champion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human

Photo:  Chessmen 1/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last go champion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human.

Photo:  Game of go 3/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last go champion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human.

Photo:  US Playing Card Co bridge cards from 1906, featuring jumbo indexes 4/4: Seven Games: A Human History, by Oliver Roeder.  Hardcover – January 25, 2022 https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Games-History-Oliver-Roeder/dp/1324003774 Checkers, backgammon, chess, and go. Poker, Scrabble, and bridge. These seven games, ancient and modern, fascinate millions of people worldwide. In Seven Games, Oliver Roeder charts their origins and historical importance, the delightful arcana of their rules, and the ways their design makes them pleasing. Roeder introduces thrilling competitors, such as the evangelical minister Marion Tinsley, who across forty years lost only three games of checkers; Shusai, the Master, the last go champion of imperial Japan, defending tradition against “modern rationalism.” and an IBM engineer who created a backgammon program so capable at self-learning that NASA used it on the space shuttle. He delves into the history and lore of each game: backgammon boards in ancient Egypt, the Indian origins of chess, how certain shells from a particular beach in Japan make the finest white go stones. Beyond the cultural and personal stories, Roeder explores why games, seemingly trivial pastimes, speak so deeply to the human soul. He introduces an early philosopher of games, the aptly named Bernard Suits, and visits an Oxford cosmologist who has perfected a computer that can effectively play bridge, a game as complicated as human language, itself. Throughout, Roeder tells the compelling story of how humans, pursuing scientific glory and competitive advantage, have invented AI programs better than any human player, and what that means for the games―and for us. Funny, fascinating, and profound, Seven Games is a story of obsession, psychology, history, and how play makes us human.

Toothsome questions abound. Are $5K board gaming tables worth it? Are there deeper implications of Clap-On technology? And what do we make of Bernard Suits' book The Grasshopper ch. 1, where the Grasshopper gladly dies in the winter for having played too many games? Can one game on the Sabbath, and why aren't there more games in the Bible?

After naming some recently revisited games, Daniel discusses some lessons learned at a recent conference on play. Is play essential to the human experience? How can we games be more inclusive? How does play shape our early childhood in important ways, and can this include Minecraft? The discussion moves into play as a means of grace, and that play according to rules might be an analogy of grace and law. Pop culture jokes include the clap-on lamp from the 80s, and dad jokes include a can of diced tomatoes that secretly contains bookoo dice. Next episode: the book The Grasshopper by Bernard Suits. And a happy Easter, Passover, and Ramadan!

The topic of games and play has fascinated JF and Phil since the launch of Weird Studies. Way back in 2018, they recorded back-to-back episodes on tabletop roleplaying games and fighting sports, and more recently, they did a two-parter on Hermann Hesse's The Glass Bead Game, a philosophical novel suggesting that all human culture tends toward play. In this episode, your hosts draw on a wealth of texts, memories, and nascent ideas to explore the game concept as such. What is a game? What do games tell us about life? What is the function of play in the formation of reality? Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/weirdstudies) Find us on Discord (https://discord.com/invite/Jw22CHfGwp) Get the new T-shirt design from Cotton Bureau (https://cottonbureau.com/products/can-o-content#/13435958/tee-men-standard-tee-vintage-black-tri-blend-s)! Get your Weird Studies merchandise (https://www.redbubble.com/people/Weird-Studies/shop?asc=u) (t-shirts, coffee mugs, etc.) Visit the Weird Studies Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/shop/weirdstudies) Buy the Weird Studies soundtrack (https://pierre-yvesmartel.bandcamp.com/album/weird-studies-music-from-the-podcast-vol-1) REFERENCES Roger Caillois, Man, Play, and Games (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780252070334) Johan Huizinga, Homo Ludens (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781621389996) Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781405159289) Bernard Suits, The Grasshopper: Games, Life, and Utopia (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781554812158) Jobe Bittman, The Book of Antitheses US version (https://us.lotfp.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=87), EU version (http://www.lotfp.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=412) Weird Studies, Episode 6, Dungeons and Dragons (https://www.weirdstudies.com/6) Weird Studies, Episode 7, Boxing (https://www.weirdstudies.com/7) C. Thi Nguyen, Games: Agency as Art (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780190052089) Eduardo Vivieros de Castro, Cannibal Metaphysics (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781517905316) BF Skinner (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._F._Skinner), American psychologist Heraclitus, Fragments (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780142437650)

Today we are joined by William J. Morgan, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, and the author of Sport and Moral Conflict: A Conventionalist Theory (Temple University Press, 2020). In our conversation, we discussed three theories of sports ethics (formalism, internalism/interpretivism, and conventionalism.) We looked at how sports philosophers use historical controversies as test cases for their philosophical theories, but also applied those philosophical approaches to contemporary sports issues including the use of performance enhancing drugs and the payment of college athletes. Sport and Moral Conflict takes sport as a moral laboratory and Morgan wrote it as an extended conversation between theories of sports ethics. Each chapter addresses a different sports philosophical theory: formalism, a broad internalism that centres metaphysical methods, a broad internalism that uses a discourse method, and finally a conventionalist ethical theory of sport. He also outlines what he calls the two duelling conceptions of sport in the early 20th century, an amateur world guided by British public school athletes and a professional world of American scientific sportsmen. These two different sporting conceptions, according to Morgan, shape much of the athletic debate the age. Understanding the different world views of these two schools provides for conventionalists a way of comprehending contemporary moral controversy in sport. The bulk of Morgan's book is an extensive and fairhanded analysis of alternative theories of sports ethics; the depth of his investigation defies easy summary. He looks closely at formalism and internalism, offering appraisals of these theories that highlight both their successes and their failures. For example, formalists like Bernard Suits not only succeeded in developing very plausible definitions of sports, but in their emphasis on the written rules of sport, also failed to appropriately consider the rules beyond the written rules that guide competitive performances. A close look at a range of test cases allow Morgan to interrogate the different sports philosophy approaches. In 1887, a baserunner that crossed home plate, tackled and held down the catcher which allowed two other runners to score. Was this behaviour permissible, even if it was technically not a rule violation? A formalist approach would have difficulty in dealing with these kinds of rules violation; by contrast, internalists and conventionalists stress the subtextual rules that shape athletes' behaviours. The baserunners in 1887 were called out. Keith Rathbone is a senior lecturer at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. He researches twentieth-century French social and cultural history. His book, entitled Sport and physical culture in Occupied France: Authoritarianism, agency, and everyday life, (Manchester University Press, 2022) examines physical education and sports in order to better understand civic life under the dual authoritarian systems of the German Occupation and the Vichy Regime. If you have a title to suggest for this podcast, please contact him at keith.rathbone@mq.edu.au and follow him at @keithrathbone on twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today we are joined by William J. Morgan, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, and the author of Sport and Moral Conflict: A Conventionalist Theory (Temple University Press, 2020). In our conversation, we discussed three theories of sports ethics (formalism, internalism/interpretivism, and conventionalism.) We looked at how sports philosophers use historical controversies as test cases for their philosophical theories, but also applied those philosophical approaches to contemporary sports issues including the use of performance enhancing drugs and the payment of college athletes. Sport and Moral Conflict takes sport as a moral laboratory and Morgan wrote it as an extended conversation between theories of sports ethics. Each chapter addresses a different sports philosophical theory: formalism, a broad internalism that centres metaphysical methods, a broad internalism that uses a discourse method, and finally a conventionalist ethical theory of sport. He also outlines what he calls the two duelling conceptions of sport in the early 20th century, an amateur world guided by British public school athletes and a professional world of American scientific sportsmen. These two different sporting conceptions, according to Morgan, shape much of the athletic debate the age. Understanding the different world views of these two schools provides for conventionalists a way of comprehending contemporary moral controversy in sport. The bulk of Morgan's book is an extensive and fairhanded analysis of alternative theories of sports ethics; the depth of his investigation defies easy summary. He looks closely at formalism and internalism, offering appraisals of these theories that highlight both their successes and their failures. For example, formalists like Bernard Suits not only succeeded in developing very plausible definitions of sports, but in their emphasis on the written rules of sport, also failed to appropriately consider the rules beyond the written rules that guide competitive performances. A close look at a range of test cases allow Morgan to interrogate the different sports philosophy approaches. In 1887, a baserunner that crossed home plate, tackled and held down the catcher which allowed two other runners to score. Was this behaviour permissible, even if it was technically not a rule violation? A formalist approach would have difficulty in dealing with these kinds of rules violation; by contrast, internalists and conventionalists stress the subtextual rules that shape athletes' behaviours. The baserunners in 1887 were called out. Keith Rathbone is a senior lecturer at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. He researches twentieth-century French social and cultural history. His book, entitled Sport and physical culture in Occupied France: Authoritarianism, agency, and everyday life, (Manchester University Press, 2022) examines physical education and sports in order to better understand civic life under the dual authoritarian systems of the German Occupation and the Vichy Regime. If you have a title to suggest for this podcast, please contact him at keith.rathbone@mq.edu.au and follow him at @keithrathbone on twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sports

Today we are joined by William J. Morgan, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, and the author of Sport and Moral Conflict: A Conventionalist Theory (Temple University Press, 2020). In our conversation, we discussed three theories of sports ethics (formalism, internalism/interpretivism, and conventionalism.) We looked at how sports philosophers use historical controversies as test cases for their philosophical theories, but also applied those philosophical approaches to contemporary sports issues including the use of performance enhancing drugs and the payment of college athletes. Sport and Moral Conflict takes sport as a moral laboratory and Morgan wrote it as an extended conversation between theories of sports ethics. Each chapter addresses a different sports philosophical theory: formalism, a broad internalism that centres metaphysical methods, a broad internalism that uses a discourse method, and finally a conventionalist ethical theory of sport. He also outlines what he calls the two duelling conceptions of sport in the early 20th century, an amateur world guided by British public school athletes and a professional world of American scientific sportsmen. These two different sporting conceptions, according to Morgan, shape much of the athletic debate the age. Understanding the different world views of these two schools provides for conventionalists a way of comprehending contemporary moral controversy in sport. The bulk of Morgan's book is an extensive and fairhanded analysis of alternative theories of sports ethics; the depth of his investigation defies easy summary. He looks closely at formalism and internalism, offering appraisals of these theories that highlight both their successes and their failures. For example, formalists like Bernard Suits not only succeeded in developing very plausible definitions of sports, but in their emphasis on the written rules of sport, also failed to appropriately consider the rules beyond the written rules that guide competitive performances. A close look at a range of test cases allow Morgan to interrogate the different sports philosophy approaches. In 1887, a baserunner that crossed home plate, tackled and held down the catcher which allowed two other runners to score. Was this behaviour permissible, even if it was technically not a rule violation? A formalist approach would have difficulty in dealing with these kinds of rules violation; by contrast, internalists and conventionalists stress the subtextual rules that shape athletes' behaviours. The baserunners in 1887 were called out. Keith Rathbone is a senior lecturer at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. He researches twentieth-century French social and cultural history. His book, entitled Sport and physical culture in Occupied France: Authoritarianism, agency, and everyday life, (Manchester University Press, 2022) examines physical education and sports in order to better understand civic life under the dual authoritarian systems of the German Occupation and the Vichy Regime. If you have a title to suggest for this podcast, please contact him at keith.rathbone@mq.edu.au and follow him at @keithrathbone on twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Today we are joined by William J. Morgan, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, and the author of Sport and Moral Conflict: A Conventionalist Theory (Temple University Press, 2020). In our conversation, we discussed three theories of sports ethics (formalism, internalism/interpretivism, and conventionalism.) We looked at how sports philosophers use historical controversies as test cases for their philosophical theories, but also applied those philosophical approaches to contemporary sports issues including the use of performance enhancing drugs and the payment of college athletes. Sport and Moral Conflict takes sport as a moral laboratory and Morgan wrote it as an extended conversation between theories of sports ethics. Each chapter addresses a different sports philosophical theory: formalism, a broad internalism that centres metaphysical methods, a broad internalism that uses a discourse method, and finally a conventionalist ethical theory of sport. He also outlines what he calls the two duelling conceptions of sport in the early 20th century, an amateur world guided by British public school athletes and a professional world of American scientific sportsmen. These two different sporting conceptions, according to Morgan, shape much of the athletic debate the age. Understanding the different world views of these two schools provides for conventionalists a way of comprehending contemporary moral controversy in sport. The bulk of Morgan's book is an extensive and fairhanded analysis of alternative theories of sports ethics; the depth of his investigation defies easy summary. He looks closely at formalism and internalism, offering appraisals of these theories that highlight both their successes and their failures. For example, formalists like Bernard Suits not only succeeded in developing very plausible definitions of sports, but in their emphasis on the written rules of sport, also failed to appropriately consider the rules beyond the written rules that guide competitive performances. A close look at a range of test cases allow Morgan to interrogate the different sports philosophy approaches. In 1887, a baserunner that crossed home plate, tackled and held down the catcher which allowed two other runners to score. Was this behaviour permissible, even if it was technically not a rule violation? A formalist approach would have difficulty in dealing with these kinds of rules violation; by contrast, internalists and conventionalists stress the subtextual rules that shape athletes' behaviours. The baserunners in 1887 were called out. Keith Rathbone is a senior lecturer at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. He researches twentieth-century French social and cultural history. His book, entitled Sport and physical culture in Occupied France: Authoritarianism, agency, and everyday life, (Manchester University Press, 2022) examines physical education and sports in order to better understand civic life under the dual authoritarian systems of the German Occupation and the Vichy Regime. If you have a title to suggest for this podcast, please contact him at keith.rathbone@mq.edu.au and follow him at @keithrathbone on twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/law

The 3rd Global Congress on Sport and Christianity is set for August 18-21, 2022 at Ridley Hall in Cambridge, UK. But though over, the 2nd congress continues to add to the conversation.  Building on the work of Bernard Suits in his famous book on play and games featuring the grasshopper as the main character, Brian […]

“Nonsense,” says the sensible Bernard Suits: “playing a game is a voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles.” — Bernard Suits, The Grasshopper: Games, Life and Utopia* In the quote above, Bernard defines that playing a game can be a waste of time. And yes, *insert guilty face here* I’ll have to agree on this myself! But why do we still want to play games? What makes a game motivate us? What’s the relationship between game, gamification, and learning? I’d like to discuss these interesting questions based on a recent gamification book I read called The Gamification of Learning and Instruction by Karl M. Kapp.* In The Gamification of Learning and Instruction, Karl defines the term “game” as follows: “A player gets caught up in playing a game because the instant feedback and constant interaction are related to the challenge of the game, which is defined by the rules, which all work within the system to provoke an emotional reaction and, finally, result in a quantifiable outcome within an abstract version of a larger system.” — Karl Knapp*

Are games art and if so, why? Are they important or valuable and if so, how? A lot of work tries to answer these questions in aesthetics by comparing games to various properties of traditionally acknowledged works that scholars already agree are art. But does this obscure basic features of what games are all about? Unlike most fictions, game designers don't just create a stable object, like a book or a movie. Insead, they create goals, rules, and abilities that people slip into when playing and that guide their experiences. In other words, to some extent games also recreate us, which both reveals what’s beautiful about them--and kind of like yoga--forces us to try out unfamiliar ways of being. Links and Resources * C. Thi Nguyen (https://objectionable.net/) * The paper (https://philpapers.org/archive/NGUGAT-2.pdf) * The Grasshopper: Games, Life and Utopia by Bernard Suits (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/803547.The_Grasshopper) * Lady Blackbird: Adventures in the Wild Blue Yonder (http://www.onesevendesign.com/ladyblackbird/) * Games and the Good by Tom Harkin (https://www.jstor.org/stable/4107044?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents) * Achievement by Gwen Bradford (https://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198714026.001.0001/acprof-9780198714026) * Defining Game Mechanics by Miguel Sicart (http://gamestudies.org/0802/articles/sicart) * Spyfall (https://www.cryptozoic.com/spyfall) * Imertial (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/24181/imperial) * Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Right by Patrick Leder (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/237182/root) * Apocalypse World (http://apocalypse-world.com/) Paper Quotes In game playing, we take on alternate agencies. The game designer can shape a specific form of agency and then pass it to the player. The clarity of the rules and the crispness of the goals make it easier for us to find our way to a novel form of agency. Thus, games allow for the curious possibility of communicating agencies. Games join, then, the various methods and technologies we have invented for recording aspects of our experience. We record sights in paintings, photographs, and movies. We record stories in novels, movies, and songs. And we record agencies in games. By letting us inscribemodes of agency in stable artifacts, games can help constitute a library of agencies. It is easier to start trying out an unfamiliar way of being when somebody tells you exactly what to do. This is true with yoga and other physical training. If there is a mode of movement or a postural stance that is unfamiliar to me, the easiest way for me to find my way there is to submit myself to very precise direction about where to stand, where to put my feet, and how to move. A new agential mode is likewise easier to find through precise directions about what goals to pursue and which means to use. In this way, we can find our way to a greater flexibility with our agency, by temporarily submitting ourselves to strictures on that agency. Games are yoga for your agency. Special Guest: C. Thi Nguyen.

Episode 86 - John Danaher on Automation and Utopia Show Notes This week, Tom and Carla are very pleased to have John Danaher with us as our guest. John is the author of the just-published Harvard University Press book, Automation and Utopia: Human Flourishing in a World Without Work. He is a philosopher and lawyer, currently a lecturer in the Law School at the National University of Ireland. His Philosophical Disquisitions website is an outstanding source for reflections on the ethical, social and legal implications of emerging technologies. John’s Website Automation and Utopia on Amazon Frey and Osborne Oxford Work Study McKinsey 2017 Job Report WALL-E Humans and displacement in the “cognitive niche” “Blueprint” vs. “Horizonal” models of utopia Bernard Suits book, The Grasshopper John on Twitter The RoboPsych Podcast has been voted one of the Top 5 Robotics Podcasts by Feedspot readers. Thanks for listening to the RoboPsych Podcast. Please subscribe and review! Subscribe in iTunes Subscribe on Overcast RoboPsych.com

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by co-collaborator, Sam Falco! Sam is an agile coach and Certified Scrum Professional with an extensive background in leading agile development teams.   Today, they’re going to be talking all about games and why they are an important part of agile. Sam illustrates why games are not just time-wasters, but are actually powerful learning tools that help teams come together and solve problems.   Sam and Dan discuss what constitutes a game, why they’re important to agile, the difference between games and simulations, and the importance of doing a debrief with simulations to ensure the learning objective is achieved. Sam also gives some examples of different games, how to use them in training, and some sources of resistance to games that may show up in the workplace and how to solve them.   Key Takeaways Why are games important to Agile? They help build relationships They have goals, rules, a feedback system, and voluntary participation (very similar to Scrum — which is why it can be so powerful to leverage) Cooperative games build team rapport They allow time for a break on difficult work-related problems while still building problem-solving skills Games that Sam recommends: Hanabi, the card game The Penny Game The Ball Point Game The Rope Game Escape: The Curse of the Temple, the board game Rory Story Cubes, the dice game Apples to Apples, the card game How games can be used in training: Hold retrospectives to discuss how to get better within these games Tie these games back to how to work better together as a team over time Use them as a learning tool to learn about individual team players and how they function within a team Bring games into the retrospectives to shake things up Debrief after the game to reflect on key lessons Sources of resistance to games that may show up in an organization and how to solve them: Someone senior in the organization may not understand and consider it a waste of money (Solution: explain the value that both the company and the teams will be gaining) An internal barrier within the group where someone may perceive an activity or game as weird or uncomfortable (Solution: you can adjust the game or allow people to opt out)   Mentioned in this Episode: Sam Falco (LinkedIn) Global Game Jam Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World, by Jane McGonigal The Grasshopper — Games, Life and Utopia, by Bernard Suits and Frank Newfeld Hanabi (Card Game) Penny Game Ball Point Game The Rope Game Escape: The Curse of the Temple (Board Game) Rory Story Cubes Apples to Apples (Card Game) Lead True: Live Your Values, Build Your People, Inspire Your Community, by Jeff Thompson Agile Coaches’ Corner, Ep. 20: “Dr. Jeff Thompson on Values-Based Leadership”   Sam Falco’s Book Pick She Has Her Mother's Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity, by Carl Zimmer   Want to Learn More or Get in Touch? Visit the website and catch up with all the episodes on AgileThought.com! Email your thoughts or suggestions to Podcast@AgileThought.com or Tweet @AgileThought using #AgileThoughtPodcast!

In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll explore some more curiosities and unanswered questions from Greg's research, including a misplaced elephant, a momentous biscuit failure, a peripatetic ax murderer, and the importance of the 9 of diamonds. We'll also revisit Michael Malloy's resilience and puzzle over an uncommonly casual prison break. Intro: In 1846, geologist Adam Sedgwick sent his niece some tips on pronouncing Welsh. In 1961, psychologist Robert Sommer reflected that a person's importance is reflected in his keyring. Sources for our feature on notes and queries: Justin Kaplan and Anne Bernays mention the naming of Deathball Rock, Oregon, in their 1999 book The Language of Names: What We Call Ourselves and Why It Matters. The anecdote about the King Kong animator is from Orville Goldner and George E. Turner's 1975 book The Making of King Kong. The anecdote about Fred Astaire and the editor is from Brian Seibert's 2015 history of tap dancing, What the Eye Hears, supplemented by this New Yorker letter. Oxford mathematician Nick Trefethen's jotted thoughts are collected in Trefethen's Index Cards, 2011. The identity of the "bravest man" at the Battle of the Little Bighorn is discussed in Thom Hatch's 2000 Custer and the Battle of the Little Bighorn: An Encyclopedia and Frederic C. Wagner III's 2016 Participants in the Battle of the Little Big Horn. But I don't know any source that makes a decided claim as to his identity. "Icy Mike," the bull elephant skeleton discovered on Mount Kenya, is mentioned in Matthew Power and Keridwen Cornelius' article "Escape to Mount Kenya" in National Geographic Adventure 9:7 (September 2007), 65-71. Bernard Suits defines games in The Grasshopper: Games, Life and Utopia, 1978. The anecdote about Maidenhead, Berkshire, is from Gordon Snell's The Book of Theatre Quotes, 1982. The observation about William Byrd's diary is in Margaret Fleming's "Analysis of a Four-Letter Word," in Maledicta 1:2 (1977). Bill James' book about the Villisca ax murders is The Man From the Train, co-written with his daughter Rachel McCarthy James. Richard O. Jones describes the Cincinnati privy disaster of 1904 in this Belt Magazine article of Nov. 4, 2014. (Thanks, Glenn.) Here's a diagram of the Woodingdean Well, the deepest hand-dug well in the world. Barry Day mentions P.G. Wodehouse's characterization of his comic novels in his 2004 book The Complete Lyrics of P.G. Wodehouse (according to N.T.P. Murphy's 2006 A Wodehouse Handbook). Wikipedia gives a long list of reputed reasons the 9 of diamonds is called the "curse of Scotland." English curate Francis Kilvert mentions a mysterious organ grinder in his diary entry for May 12, 1874. Horace Walpole's owl whistles are mentioned in Arthur Michael Samuel's Mancroft Essays, 1912. The story about the Dabneys' clothesline telegraph appears in David Williams' I Freed Myself: African American Self-Emancipation in the Civil War Era, 2014, among other modern sources. Williams cites John Truesdale's The Blue Coats, and How They Lived, Fought and Died for the Union, from 1867. I'd be more sanguine with more authoritative sources. Listener mail: Nidhi Goyal, "Your Stomach Acid Can Dissolve Metal," Industry Tap, Feb. 3, 2016. Wikipedia, "Hydrochloric Acid" (accessed June 2, 2018). S.E. Gould, "What Makes Things Acid: The pH Scale," Lab Rat, Scientific American, Dec. 3, 2012. Charles Herman Sulz, A Treatise on Beverages, Or, The Complete Practical Bottler, 1888. "Properties of Some Metals: Tin," James P. Birk, CHM-115: General Chemistry with Qualitative Analysis, Arizona State University. P.K. Li et al., "In Vitro Effects of Simulated Gastric Juice on Swallowed Metal Objects: Implications for Practical Management," Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 46:2 (August 1997), 152-155. IMDb, "Open Water 2: Adrift." https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470055/ Wikipedia, "Open Water 2: Adrift" (accessed June 2, 2018). This week's lateral thinking puzzle was contributed by listener Esmeralda Rupp-Spangle, who sent this corroborating link (warning -- this spoils the puzzle). You can listen using the player above, download this episode directly, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Google Play Music or via the RSS feed at http://feedpress.me/futilitycloset. Please consider becoming a patron of Futility Closet -- you can choose the amount you want to pledge, and we've set up some rewards to help thank you for your support. You can also make a one-time donation on the Support Us page of the Futility Closet website. Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode. If you have any questions or comments you can reach us at podcast@futilitycloset.com. Thanks for listening!

In this episode I talk to Christopher Yorke. Christopher is a PhD candidate at The Open University. He specialises in the philosophical study of utopianism and is currently completing a dissertation titled ‘Bernard Suits’ Utopia of Gameplay: A Critical Analysis’. We talk about all things utopian, including what a 'utopia' is, why space exploration is associated with utopian thinking, and whether Bernard Suits' is correct to say that games are the highest ideal of human existence.   You can download the episode here or listen below. You can also subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher (the RSS feed is here). Show Notes0:00 - Introduction2:00 - Why did Christopher choose to study utopianism?6:44 - What is a 'utopia'? Defining the ideal society14:00 - Is utopia practically achievable?19:34 - Why are dystopias easier to imagine that utopias?23:00 - Blueprints vs Horizons - different understandings of the utopian project26:40 - What do philosophers bring to the study of utopia?30:40 - Why is space exploration associated with utopianism?39:20 - Kant's Perpetual Peace vs the Final Frontier47:09 - Suits's Utopia of Games: What is a game?53:16 - Is game-playing the highest ideal of human existence?1:01:15 - What kinds of games will Suits's utopians play?1:14:41 - Is a post-instrumentalist society really intelligible?  Relevant LinksChristopher Yorke's Academia.edu page'Prospects for Utopia in Space' by Christopher Yorke'Endless Summer: What kinds of games will Suits's Utopians Play?' by Christopher Yorke'The Final Frontier: Space Exploration as Utopia Project' by John Danaher'The Utopia of Games: Intelligible or Unintelligible' by John DanaherOther posts on utopianism and the good lifeThe Grasshopper by Bernard Suits #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Subscribe to the newsletter

This episode looks at Bernard Suits' classic paper “Words on Play,” in which Suits attempts to provide a definition of play. While sport and play are not the same thing; examining one yields insight for the other.

In this episode, I examine Bernard Suits' "The Elements of Sport." This 1973 essay applies Suits' definition of game-playing (see the "What is a Game?" episode) to sport.

In this episode, I examine Bernard Suits' "What is a Game?" Suits presents his influential definition of game-playing in this discipline-defining article first published in 1967. Suits, Bernard. "What is a Game?" Philosophy of Science, Vol 34, No. 2 (June 1967), pp 148-56.

Edição de 18 de Abril 2017 - A Cigarra Filosófica, de Bernard Suits