Playing with Good and Evil : Videogames and Moral Philosophy

Despite an increasingly complex academic discourse, the videogame medium lacks an agreed-upon definition. Its relationship to previous media is somewhat unclear, and the unique attributes of the medium have not yet been fully catalogued. Drawing on theory suggesting that videogames can convey ideas, I will argue that the videogame medium is capable of modeling and critiquing elements of moral philosophy in a unique manner. To make this argument, I first address a number of questions about the proper definition of videogames, how games in general and videogames specifically convey ideas, and how games can be constructed to form arguments. Having defined my terms, I will conduct case studies on three games (Fable, Command & Conquer: Generals, and The Punisher), clarifying how the design of each could be modified to address a specific philosophical issue. Thesis Supervisor: Henry Jenkins Title: Professor of Comparative Media Studies Acknowledgments In the writing of this thesis, I am deeply indebted to several people. My three readers, Henry Jenkins, Alice Robison, and Hugo Liu, offered their considerable expertise in helping me flesh out my ideas and making sure said ideas made it onto the page in a somewhat legible form. Mark Tunick and Dan White-who constantly made me read philosophy as an undergrad even when it was clear I didn't understand it-offered valuable advice on choosing a translator for Kant. Sandra Siller helped inspire the idea of gameplay ethics during an argument about Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. Finally, as always, my partner Alana offered her unwavering love and support, as did our cat, Shazzer, who always knew when I should stop writing and pay attention to her. Table of