How You Play the Game: A Philosopher Plays Minecraft (Kindle Single)

What happens when a philosopher plays Minecraft?

The world of Minecraft—the hugely popular video-game in which players build, explore and sometimes destroy a Lego-like virtual world—is nine million-times larger than the surface of the Earth. At a glance, it bears few similarities to any place we know and inhabit. But upon closer examination, the differences between this complex virtual reality and our own might not be as vast as we think. In “How You Play the Game,” author and philosopher Charlie Huenemann looks philosophically at the game of Minecraft (“What is the point of this game? How does one win? Well, this depends on what you want to do”) and grapples with the ethical conundrums, existential crises and moral responsibilities of the virtual realm. From the Overworld to the Ender Dragon, Huenemann offers an entertaining, insightful and often hilarious examination of Minecraft and the strange worlds—both virtual and not—surrounding it.

Charlie Huenemann is a Professor of Philosophy at Utah State University. He writes for 3quarksdaily, and has published several books on the history of philosophy.

Cover design by Adil Dara.