Agency and Reasoning in Games, University of Maine

Games are often praised as spaces to explore ways of life that might be different from our own: whether that be by taking on different identities in games, learning through the setting or narrative of a game, or through building communities and relationships with others that would not be accessible outside of the game. In addition, academic and philosophical interest in games has grown considerably, touching on questions related to the aesthetic value of games, the ethics of gaming, and the relation between player and game character.

The aim of this workshop in the philosophy of games is to provide a space for discussion of how games can play a role in helping players explore, experiment, and reason in ways that are unique or well-suited to games (including video games, board games, role-playing games, party games, etc.).