On What Makes Some Video Games Philosophical
As is evident from the observations of Ian Bogost and Thomas J. Spiegel, video games can be philosophical qua video games: they can express philosophical insights not only through verbal rhetoric, but also through the “procedural rhetoric” of the interactive processes defined by their programmed rul...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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De Gruyter
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Open Philosophy |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/opphil-2025-0076 |
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| author | Mattis Benny |
| author_facet | Mattis Benny |
| author_sort | Mattis Benny |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As is evident from the observations of Ian Bogost and Thomas J. Spiegel, video games can be philosophical qua video games: they can express philosophical insights not only through verbal rhetoric, but also through the “procedural rhetoric” of the interactive processes defined by their programmed rules. However, prior work has not adequately explored what it is about some video games which make them particularly philosophically valuable. After reviewing previous literature and some relevant examples of procedural rhetoric, this article looks to Plato’s Phaedrus for an account of what distinguishes true philosophy from mere un-philosophical sophistry. Ultimately, this article suggests that if expressive artifacts (including video games) are to be evaluated qua works of philosophy, then they should be evaluated with reference to their usefulness in a broader context of dialectical exchange, rather than evaluated solely as standalone products. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9169d8f15e2b4f01bc4e691203103a38 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2543-8875 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Open Philosophy |
| spelling | doaj-art-9169d8f15e2b4f01bc4e691203103a382025-08-20T03:32:54ZengDe GruyterOpen Philosophy2543-88752025-06-0181416110.1515/opphil-2025-0076On What Makes Some Video Games PhilosophicalMattis Benny0Independent Researcher, Silver Spring, United StatesAs is evident from the observations of Ian Bogost and Thomas J. Spiegel, video games can be philosophical qua video games: they can express philosophical insights not only through verbal rhetoric, but also through the “procedural rhetoric” of the interactive processes defined by their programmed rules. However, prior work has not adequately explored what it is about some video games which make them particularly philosophically valuable. After reviewing previous literature and some relevant examples of procedural rhetoric, this article looks to Plato’s Phaedrus for an account of what distinguishes true philosophy from mere un-philosophical sophistry. Ultimately, this article suggests that if expressive artifacts (including video games) are to be evaluated qua works of philosophy, then they should be evaluated with reference to their usefulness in a broader context of dialectical exchange, rather than evaluated solely as standalone products.https://doi.org/10.1515/opphil-2025-0076platoprocessproceduralityrhetoricdialecticpaidiapaideiainteractivityplayeducation |
| spellingShingle | Mattis Benny On What Makes Some Video Games Philosophical Open Philosophy plato process procedurality rhetoric dialectic paidia paideia interactivity play education |
| title | On What Makes Some Video Games Philosophical |
| title_full | On What Makes Some Video Games Philosophical |
| title_fullStr | On What Makes Some Video Games Philosophical |
| title_full_unstemmed | On What Makes Some Video Games Philosophical |
| title_short | On What Makes Some Video Games Philosophical |
| title_sort | on what makes some video games philosophical |
| topic | plato process procedurality rhetoric dialectic paidia paideia interactivity play education |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/opphil-2025-0076 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mattisbenny onwhatmakessomevideogamesphilosophical |