C-254. Theories about games
“Game theory” comprises a theory about actors, their actions and their payoffs in a “game” setting. A theory about games per se is something else … such as the defining notion Wittgenstein had about a game and many other terms: that such a concept pertained to a “family” of instances.
But in what sense are games, those as different as baseball and bridge, as Monopoly and life, members of a family?
Architecturally, they are constituted as and by procedural technology … with respect to the rules of the game and the “moves” – i.e., steps – to which the rules apply. The procedural tech typically involves tool tech (e.g., balls, cards, boards) but the functional emphasis is on the procedural.
We seem to have Grasped the centrality of procedural technology for our recreation better than we have for the rest of our lives. Except, perhaps that we have made a game of our lives, as in substituting politics for polity. Such that democracy remains pretty much conceptual, not realized architecturally.
It doesn’t help that we have been attempting the game of life on the wrong field of play. Progress is the game we should be playing. On and AT the Expansion’s Frontier. Our Frontier, our expansion, too. In the S-universe.
From the point of view and perspective of the B-universe, it can appear that “progress” is a questionable trend … as in Gould’s differential analyses of the Burgess Shale and of the “evolved” horse. However, in the S-universe, progress is the gist of the game: we must produce functionality to meet needed functionality.
In light of the very useful Search feature now available, parenthetical back references are suspended for Comments as of C-184.
(c) 2021 R. F. Carter
But in what sense are games, those as different as baseball and bridge, as Monopoly and life, members of a family?
Architecturally, they are constituted as and by procedural technology … with respect to the rules of the game and the “moves” – i.e., steps – to which the rules apply. The procedural tech typically involves tool tech (e.g., balls, cards, boards) but the functional emphasis is on the procedural.
We seem to have Grasped the centrality of procedural technology for our recreation better than we have for the rest of our lives. Except, perhaps that we have made a game of our lives, as in substituting politics for polity. Such that democracy remains pretty much conceptual, not realized architecturally.
It doesn’t help that we have been attempting the game of life on the wrong field of play. Progress is the game we should be playing. On and AT the Expansion’s Frontier. Our Frontier, our expansion, too. In the S-universe.
From the point of view and perspective of the B-universe, it can appear that “progress” is a questionable trend … as in Gould’s differential analyses of the Burgess Shale and of the “evolved” horse. However, in the S-universe, progress is the gist of the game: we must produce functionality to meet needed functionality.
In light of the very useful Search feature now available, parenthetical back references are suspended for Comments as of C-184.
(c) 2021 R. F. Carter
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