Ep50: Are Video Games Art? Part 1 - Brecht and the Ancient Greeks

Dups and Dr. Warkentin discuss whether video games qualify as classical art. They examine the philosophy of play and compare traditional theater structures to modern game design.Key Topics:The Philosophy of Play: A look at Schiller’s concept of the "drive to play" (Spieltrieb) and how playing games connects logical and emotional thinking.Aristotle vs. Brecht in Gaming: Comparing linear, fixed narratives (Aristotelian) like The Last of Us to interactive, choice-driven narratives (Brechtian) like Baldur's Gate 3.Player as Co-Author: How a player's individual gameplay style and decision-making process become part of the artwork itself.Digital Ephemerality: The challenge of preserving video games as technology becomes obsolete, and the role of archivists in saving early games.