Life is a game. True or untrue? This class is an attempt to address (if not exactly answer) this oft-posed question by looking at the messy intersection of art, play, digital gaming, and life itself. We’ll ask how human habitus—our whole repertoire of social practices, codes, and ethics—is shaped by competition and play, from the thrill of winning to the embarrassment (and enlightenment) of losing. Along the way, we’ll differentiate between rule-bound games with specific goals and escapist modes of play which exist for their own sake. Some sub-topics include the roles of playing and gaming in contemporary art, the gamification of labor and consumption, and the relation of simulated digital worlds to IRL geographies. Students are welcome to suggest alternative readings and topics based on personal or shared interests.Philosophy and Critical Theory (PHCRT) courses focus on developing critical reading and thinking skills, with an emphasis on learning to frame and explore meaningful questions. Students consider multiple perspectives and claims in the process of formulating independent, well-founded opinions.

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