I'm really looking forward to speaking at this workshop on the aesthetics of games in Neuchatel! The deadline for submitting a paper is April 15, so send in a paper and come join us!
necs.org/news/calls-f...
The APA Blog just posted this interview with me about my book, Aesthetics and Video Games! Yay!
blog.apaonline.org/2026/03/27/r...
This illustrated review is fab. The medium works so well for books on video games.
THANKS!
Why does philosophy matter? "...philosophy is the most productive force ever discovered by human beings and we are responsible for modernity". Hell yeah!
hilariusbookbinder.substack.com/p/why-philos...
We do not play with toys because we expect to gain something of practical value from them. Rather, we play with toys for aesthetic reasons. This is a broad topic that would require a much longer treatment than I have the space for here. This essay has the more modest goal of attempting to provide a framework for thinking of the aesthetic value of toys by looking at them in relation to games. - Christopher Bartel, When a Balloon is Enough: An Attention-Based Account of Toys and Games
Chris Bartel is playing with toys in this advance article. Come for the nerf guns, stay for the syllogisms. doi.org/10.1093/aest... #philsky
I don't know who needs to hear this, but Tales of the Shire is a fun, cozy farming game. The reviews have been harsh. I don't get it. It's fun. Sure, the relationships you develop with the villagers aren't as rich as those in Stardew Valley. But, I'd compare them to Animal Crossing.