Aristotle Goes to the Arcade: The Ethics of Videogames, False Pleasure and the Good Life

Abstract

This chapter aims to discuss the ethical underpinnings of videogames and what role they have to play when we conceive of ‘the good life’ or of a life well lived. Drawing on the works of Plato and Aristotle this chapter will introduce the notion of ‘false pleasure’ as a philosophical subject and will then apply this concept to the culture of videogames. Aristotle holds that pleasure is a central part of the good life, however it is possible to be mistaken about what pleasures make up this life; this is the notion of ‘false’ pleasure. One charge laid against videogames is that their pursuit is a waste of one’s time or faculties, and that the pleasure gleaned from playing should be considered a form of false pleasure. Although there is some merit to this criticism, this chapter will defend the claim that some videogames should be considered as having a role to play in the pursuit of the good life. This issue is important to the ethics of videogames; before we make ethical judgements about the content of some of these games, we must examine the ethics surrounding their culture. Key to our enquiry are the choices we make in spending our time and faculties on certain activities, with this in mind this chapter explores whether some videogames should be considered pleasures worth pursuing.