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The Philosophy of Computer Games pp 185–199Cite as

Videogames and Fictionalism

Part of the Philosophy of Engineering and Technology book series (POET,volume 7)

Abstract

Videogames depict objects, individuals and situations that, like those depicted in fictions such as novels and films seem imagined rather than real. There has been some resistance within game theory to the idea that videogames and the objects depicted in them are fictional, however. In particular, games scholar Espen Aarseth has argued that some objects seen in videogames are best seen as virtual rather than fictional. This is because virtual objects such as videogame dragons and swords allow player engagement in a way that the fictional objects of novels and films do not. In this paper I will provide an analysis of the concepts of fiction and virtuality that allows the reconciliation of our intuitions about each. The dragons and swords seen in videogames are fictional in being generated as a part of an imaginative game, but they are also virtual in being distinctively robust and interactive fictive props.

Keywords

  • Virtual Camera
  • Street View
  • Real Existence
  • Fictional World
  • Virtual Item

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand

    Grant Tavinor

Authors
  1. Grant Tavinor
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Correspondence to Grant Tavinor .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Philosophy, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, 0315, Norway

    John Richard Sageng

  2. , University of Philosophy, Classics, Hist, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0315, Norway

    Hallvard Fossheim

  3. , Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stavanger, Kjell Arholmsgt 41, Stavanger, 4036, Norway

    Tarjei Mandt Larsen

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Tavinor, G. (2012). Videogames and Fictionalism. In: Sageng, J., Fossheim, H., Mandt Larsen, T. (eds) The Philosophy of Computer Games. Philosophy of Engineering and Technology, vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4249-9_13

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