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Finite and Infinite Games: Difference between revisions
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{{a|book review|{{br|Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility}} by {{author|James P. Carse}}}}There is so much in this book. Ostensibly, it is an obscure piece of cod philosophy from a religious studies professor in the mid nineteen-eighties. It might well have silted into the geological record as nothing more than that, but it is having a fertile third age: it has been picked up by [[Life coach|life-coach]] to the [[LinkedIn]] generation, {{author|Simon Sinek}}, and when minds as luminous as {{author|Stewart Brand}}’s speak reverently of it, it may have life above the daisies for a little while yet. Hope so. | {{a|book review| | ||
[[File:Infinite finite game.png|450px|frameless|center]] | |||
{{br|Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility}} by {{author|James P. Carse}}}}There is so much in this book. Ostensibly, it is an obscure piece of cod philosophy from a religious studies professor in the mid nineteen-eighties. It might well have silted into the geological record as nothing more than that, but it is having a fertile third age: it has been picked up by [[Life coach|life-coach]] to the [[LinkedIn]] generation, {{author|Simon Sinek}}, and when minds as luminous as {{author|Stewart Brand}}’s speak reverently of it, it may have life above the daisies for a little while yet. Hope so. | |||
The central idea is to divide life into two types of games: finite ones, which are zero-sum competitions played with the intention of winning, and infinite ones, played with the intention of continuing to play. | The central idea is to divide life into two types of games: finite ones, which are zero-sum competitions played with the intention of winning, and infinite ones, played with the intention of continuing to play. This is to use the expression “game” in conflicting senses; a finite game is one in a narrow sense; an infinite game more like Wittgenstein’s concept of a “language game”. | ||
Finite games have fixed rules, fixed boundaries in time and space and an agreed objective — usually to beat the other players. Infinite games have no fixed rules, no fixed boundaries, no fixed teams, and players are free to change the rules if that will help play to continue. | Finite games have fixed rules, fixed boundaries in time and space and an agreed objective — usually to beat the other players. Infinite games have no fixed rules, no fixed boundaries, no fixed teams, and players are free to change the rules if that will help play to continue. | ||