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Article 5323 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: brian@norton.com (Brian Yoder)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: Categories: bounded or graded?
Message-ID: <1992Apr28.193247.360@norton.com>
Date: 28 Apr 92 19:32:47 GMT
References: <1992Apr24.132722.20648@cs.ucf.edu>
Organization: Symantec / Peter Norton
Lines: 45

clarke@acme.ucf.edu (Thomas Clarke) writes:
> > >bill@NSMA.AriZonA.EdU (Bill Skaggs) writes: 
 
> > >BS:
> > >>  With Wittgenstein in mind, I ask:  what are the invariant features
> > >>that characterize a "game"?
 
> > >To cite Johan Huizinga, play is "a voluntary activity or occupation
> > >executed within certain limits of time and place, according to rules freely
> > >accepted but absolutely binding, having an aim in itself and accompanied by
> > >a feeling of tension, joy and the consciousness that it is ``different''
> > >from ``ordinary life''." ("Homo Ludens", Boston: Beacon Press, 1955, p.28)
 
What about boring tedious games like rock-scissors-paper?  Are they not games?
(I certainly don't agree with Wittgenstein that "Game" cannot be described
in this way, only that this particular definition is wrong.)
 
> I'm reading "The grasshopper : games, life, and Utopia" by Bernard H. Suits  
> (University of Toronto Press, 1978).  
> A very nice little book (with pictures!).  Suits goes beyond Huizinga and  
> amplifies the definition of game (I have not read H, but only seen citations in  
> Suits).  
> 
> Paraphrasing from memory, a game requires three things:  an objective goal  
> (crossing the finish line first), rules (can't shoot your opponent,  shortcut  
> across the infield etc), and the ludic attitude (game playing frame of mind,  
> free desire to play the game).  Therefore an acting performance is not a game.   
> Actors lack the ludic attitude, and it is not clear what the restrictive rules  
> of acting are.  Children playing make-believe games are playing games, however.

That's a bit better, but how about this:

A game is a goal-directed activity where the ostensive goal (eg. taking the 
king, making a goal, putting the doll to bed) is not the actual goal being 
pursued (eg. relaxation, elimination of boredom, enjoyment, learning, etc.).

I can't think of any good counter examples, can you?

--Brian

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