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

Title
Aristotle Goes to the Arcade: The Ethics of Videogames, False Pleasure and the Good Life
Publication Date
2016
Author(s)
Humphreys, Declan J
Editor
Editor(s): Brittany Kuhn and Alexia Bhereur-Lagounaris
Type of document
Book Chapter
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Inter-Disciplinary Press
Place of publication
Oxford, United Kingdom
Edition
1
UNE publication id
une:-20170323-151734
une:-20170323-151734
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.
Link
Citation
Levelling Up: The Cultural Impact of Contemporary Videogames, p. 3-10
ISBN
9781848884380
Start page
3
End page
10

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