Download or read book Halo and Philosophy written by Luke Cuddy and published by Open Court. This book was released on 2011-04-12 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the Doom series, First Person Shooter (FPS) videogames have ricocheted through the gaming community, often reaching outside that community to the wider public. While critics primarily lampoon FPSs for their aggressiveness and on-screen violence, gamers see something else. Halo is one of the greatest, most successful FPSs ever to grace the world of gaming. Although Halo is a FPS, it has a science-fiction storyline that draws from previous award-winning science fiction literature. It employs a game mechanic that limits the amount of weapons a player can carry to two, and a multiplayer element that has spawned websites like Red vs. Blue and games within the game created by players themselves. Halo’s unique and extraordinary features raise serious questions. Are campers really doing anything wrong? Does Halo’s music match the experience of the gamer? Would Plato have used Halo to train citizens to live an ethical life? What sort of Artificial Intelligence exists in Halo and how is it used? Can the player’s experience of war tell us anything about actual war? Is there meaning to Master Chief’s rough existence? How does it affect the player’s ego if she identifies too strongly with an aggressive character like Master Chief? Is Halo really science fiction? Can Halo be used for enlightenment-oriented thinking in the Buddhist sense? Does Halo's weapon limitation actually contribute to the depth of the gameplay? When we willingly play Halo only to die again and again, are we engaging in some sort of self-injurious behavior? What is expansive gameplay and how can it be informed by the philosophy of Michel Foucault? In what way does Halo’s post-apocalyptic paradigm force gamers to see themselves as agents of divine deliverance? What can Red vs. Blue teach us about personal identity? These questions are tackled by writers who are both Halo cognoscenti and active philosophers, with a foreword by renowned Halo fiction author Fred Van Lente and an afterword by leading games scholar and artist Roger Ngim.

Download or read book Philosophy Through Video Games written by Jon Cogburn and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2009-09-10 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can Wii Sports teach us about metaphysics? Can playing World of Warcraft lead to greater self-consciousness? How can we learn about aesthetics, ethics and divine attributes from Zork, Grand Theft Auto, and Civilization? A variety of increasingly sophisticated video games are rapidly overtaking books, films, and television as America's most popular form of media entertainment. It is estimated that by 2011 over 30 percent of US households will own a Wii console - about the same percentage that owned a television in 1953. In Philosophy Through Video Games, Jon Cogburn and Mark Silcox - philosophers with game industry experience - investigate the aesthetic appeal of video games, their effect on our morals, the insights they give us into our understanding of perceptual knowledge, personal identity, artificial intelligence, and the very meaning of life itself, arguing that video games are popular precisely because they engage with longstanding philosophical problems. Topics covered include: * The Problem of the External World * Dualism and Personal Identity * Artificial and Human Intelligence in the Philosophy of Mind * The Idea of Interactive Art * The Moral Effects of Video Games * Games and God's Goodness Games discussed include: Madden Football, Wii Sports, Guitar Hero, World of Warcraft, Sims Online, Second Life, Baldur's Gate, Knights of the Old Republic, Elder Scrolls, Zork, EverQuest Doom, Halo 2, Grand Theft Auto, Civilization, Mortal Kombat, Rome: Total War, Black and White, Aidyn Chronicles

Download or read book BioShock and Philosophy written by Luke Cuddy and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2015-04-27 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Considered a sign of the ‘coming of age’ of video games as an artistic medium, the award-winning BioShock franchise covers vast philosophical ground. BioShock and Philosophy: Irrational Game, Rational Book presents expert reflections by philosophers (and Bioshock connoisseurs) on this critically acclaimed and immersive fan-favorite. Reveals the philosophical questions raised through the artistic complexity, compelling characters and absorbing plots of this ground-breaking first-person shooter (FPS) Explores what BioShock teaches the gamer about gaming, and the aesthetics of video game storytelling Addresses a wide array of topics including Marxism, propaganda, human enhancement technologies, political decision-making, free will, morality, feminism, transworld individuality, and vending machines in the dystopian society of Rapture Considers visionary game developer Ken Levine’s depiction of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, as well as the theories of Aristotle, de Beauvoir, Dewey, Leibniz, Marx, Plato, and others from the Hall of Philosophical Heroes

Download or read book The Legend of Zelda and Philosophy written by Luke Cuddy and published by Open Court Publishing. This book was released on 2008 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Chapters address philosophical aspects of the video game The Legend of Zelda and video game culture in general"--Provided by publisher.

Download or read book The Halo Effect written by Phil Rosenzweig and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2008-12-09 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do some companies prosper while others fail? Despite great amounts of research, many of the studies that claim to pin down the secret of success are based in pseudoscience. THE HALO EFFECT is the outcome of that pseudoscience, a myth that Philip Rosenzweig masterfully debunks in THE HALO EFFECT. THE HALO EFFECT highlights the tendency of experts to point to the high financial performance of a successful company and then spread its golden glow to all of the company's attributes - clear strategy, strong values, and brilliant leadership. But in fact, as Rosenzweig clearly illustrates, the experts are not just wrong, but deluded. Rosenzweig suggests a more accurate way to think about leading a company, a robust and clearheaded approach that can save any business from ultimate failure.

Download or read book The Dirty Halo of Everything written by Geoffrey Dyer and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Poetry. "Geoffrey Dyer's impressive first book is filled with beautiful contradictions, its lines turning over into lush, angelic underworlds...Be careful when you read this book. It's like being twice as awake"--Elizabeth Willis. "Welcome to the 'valley of the near yonder hell, an Out West sort of place,' where you will find 'Golgotha embellished in cement' and the 'mascara of Andromeda.' When you are here, 'pay attention to the words collaborating inside [y]our skull.' Geoffrey Dyer certainly does"--John Yau. "His tanks grow roses..."--Anselm Berrigan.

Download or read book Halo Encyclopedia Deluxe Edition written by Microsoft and published by Dark Horse Comics. This book was released on 2022-04-12 with total page 504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The universe of Halo is remarkably vast in scale and astonishingly elaborate in detail, telling rich stories filled with bold characters, breathtaking worlds, and thrilling conflicts. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Halo, Dark Horse and 343 Industries have teamed up to deliver the most definitive guide to the universe thus far. The Halo Encyclopedia­ Deluxe Edition holds some of the Halo universe’s greatest secrets, which is why it is contained within a Forerunner cylix—a device that holds their civilization’s greatest secrets! The Deluxe Edition also comes with a cover exclusive to this edition, as well as a lithograph not found anywhere else.

Download or read book Philosophy Comes to Dinner written by Andrew Chignell and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-10-08 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Everyone is talking about food. Chefs are celebrities. "Locavore" and "freegan" have earned spots in the dictionary. Popular books and films about food production and consumption are exposing the unintended consequences of the standard American diet. Questions about the principles and values that ought to guide decisions about dinner have become urgent for moral, ecological, and health-related reasons. In Philosophy Comes to Dinner, twelve philosophers—some leading voices, some inspiring new ones—join the conversation, and consider issues ranging from the sustainability of modern agriculture, to consumer complicity in animal exploitation, to the pros and cons of alternative diets.

Download or read book Imagologies written by Mark C. Taylor and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 1994 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The authors propose a new philosophy of communication which reflects the media and technology of the "electronic age."

Download or read book The Green Halo written by Erazim Kohak and published by Open Court. This book was released on 2011-04-15 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Green Halo is a highly readable introduction to the vast field of contemporary ecological thought. It is a basic education in environmental philosophy and a welcome propadeutic for understanding the most crucial problem facing humankind in the coming century: How can humans live on this earth so that they do not destroy the preconditions for their own existence?

Download or read book Halo written by Tom Maddox and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-10-28 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the latter half of the twenty-first century, freelance data-auditor Mikhail Gonzales has been contracted to monitor an AI-controlled orbiting colony. Complications arise when an experimental treatment for a critically injured man is opposed by Gonzales' employer, the SenTrax corporation

Download or read book The Onion and Philosophy written by Sharon M. Kaye and published by Open Court Publishing. This book was released on 2010 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Onion, with its unique brand of deadpan satirical humor, has become a familiar part of the American scene. The newspaper has a readership of over a million, and it reaches millions more with its spin-off books and The Onion News Network. The Onion has shown us that standard ways of thinking about the news have their grotesque and silly side, and this invites philosophical examination. Twenty-one philosophers were commissioned to figure out just what makes the Onion so truthful and insightful. Are the Onion writers truly cynical, or just cynically faking it? Does the Onion really have a serious point of view on religion? On sex? On politics? Who cares what Area Man thinks? If everyone’s so dumb, how come so many Onion readers keep on laughing at how dumb they are?

Download or read book Supernatural and Philosophy written by Galen A. Foresman and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2013-08-07 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No doubt the years hunting monsters and saving the universe have had their toll on the Winchesters, but their toughest and most gruesome battles are contained in this book. Think Lucifer was diabolically clever? Think again. No son is more wayward than the one who squanders his intellect and academic career pursuing questions as poignant as “Half-awesome? That’s full-on good, right?” Gathered here for the first time since the formation of Purgatory, a collection of research so arcane and horrific that it would make even the late, great Bobby Singer blush. Supernatural and Philosophy tackles all the big ideas in the long-running hit show Supernatural, covering thorny issues in a fun and accessible way. Even those unfamiliar with the show will find fascinating insights into Heaven, Hell, Angels, Demons, God, and Lucifer. A unique collection of insights into the many philosophical, religious, and paranormal topics in the hit TV show, Supernatural Accessible treatment of thorny issues for a general audience Written by philosophical fans of the show, for philosophical fans of the show Those unfamiliar with the show will still find fascinating insights into Heaven, Hell, Angels, Demons, God, Lucifer, and Good and Evil Contributors tackle issues ranging from the biological classifications of monsters, to the epistemological problems of ghost hunting

Download or read book Facebook and Philosophy written by D. E. Wittkower and published by Open Court. This book was released on 2010-09-15 with total page 325 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Facebook and Philosophy is an entertaining, multi-faceted exploration of what Facebook means for us and for our relationships. With discussions ranging from the nature of friendship and its relationship to "friending," to the (debatable) efficacy of "online activism," this book is the most extensive and systematic attempt to understand Facebook yet. And with plenty of new perspectives on Twitter and Web 2.0 along the way, this fun, thought-provoking book is a serious and significant contribution for anyone working with social media, whether in academia, journalism, public relations, activism, or business. Exploring far-reaching questions — Can our interactions on Facebook help us care about each other more? Does Facebook signal the death of privacy, or (perhaps worse yet) the death of our desire for privacy? — Facebook and Philosophy is vital reading for anyone involved in social networks today.

Download or read book Philosophy 101 written by Paul Kleinman and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2013-09-18 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the world's greatest thinkers and their groundbreaking notions! Too often, textbooks turn the noteworthy theories, principles, and figures of philosophy into tedious discourse that even Plato would reject. Philosophy 101 cuts out the boring details and exhausting philosophical methodology, and instead, gives you a lesson in philosophy that keeps you engaged as you explore the fascinating history of human thought and inquisition. From Aristotle and Heidegger to free will and metaphysics, Philosophy 101 is packed with hundreds of entertaining philosophical tidbits, illustrations, and thought puzzles that you won't be able to find anywhere else. So whether you're looking to unravel the mysteries of existentialism, or just want to find out what made Voltaire tick, Philosophy 101 has all the answers--even the ones you didn't know you were looking for.

Download or read book It s Always Sunny and Philosophy written by Roger Hunt and published by Open Court. This book was released on 2015-09-08 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Philosophers wittily and expertly uncover amazing philosophical insights from the endlessly fascinating TV show, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Littmann shows how the values of the gang are the same as those of Homeric heroes. Ketcham argues that the Church should make Charlie a saint, partly because It’s Always Sunny is “all about free will.” Hamer shows how closely the gang’s activities comply with the scientific method. Alkema and Barkman analyze the way the gang perceives happiness and how they try to get it. Leonard proves beyond doubt that the game of Chardee MacDennis reveals everyone's unconscious desires. King examines the morality of the gang’s behavior by the standard of how they respond to extreme suffering. Chambers agrees that each of the five central characters is a terrible person, but argues that, given their circumstances, they are not truly to blame for their actions. Tanswell demonstrates that many of the gang’s wrong actions result not from immoral motives but from illogical thinking. Aylesworth uses examples from It’s Always Sunny to bring out some of the moral problems with real consent to sex. Jones reveals that Nietzsche foresaw everything the gang at Paddy's Pub would do.

Download or read book Persistence written by Sally Anne Haslanger and published by MIT Press (MA). This book was released on 2006 with total page 504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Influential accounts of persistence--how ordinary objects persist through time--examine the perdurantist, exdurantist, and endurantist approaches and provide an overview of the topic.