Enjoyed the review, but take exception to an aspect your "game" definition, though I'm not in fundamental disagreement. You offered “A form of goal-directed action in which the goal as such is not a value.” Not a value? Perish the thought. The arbitrary ends of games become passionate values celebrated as deeply as any in life for some people. Sit through a Yankees game with Andy Bernstein some time, if you dare. Perhaps "optional value", or non-essential value. They're not metaphysically important outside the arbitrary context of the game, but "not a value" is not what you're getting at. Think of Ayn Rand's humor discussion: Humor is the denial of metaphysical importance to that which you laugh at. The ends of games are similar - if the end of a game has metaphysical importance, it's no longer a game.
Well, the phrase "as such" is doing a lot of work for me. Of course people value touchdowns or home runs and are elated when they happen. But it is something that is only a value within the context of the game and is meaningless outside of it. (If you're doing fungos with a baseball bat and really light into the ball and knock it over the fence, it doesn't mean nearly the same thing, because it's not happening in a game.)
By contrast, food is a value and you need it and enjoy it without necessarily having to watch the process by which it was made. It is a value in its own right and not just within the context of the arbitrary rules or procedures of the kitchen. (Unless you are watching "Iron Chef.") That's the distinction I was getting at.
Enjoyed the review, but take exception to an aspect your "game" definition, though I'm not in fundamental disagreement. You offered “A form of goal-directed action in which the goal as such is not a value.” Not a value? Perish the thought. The arbitrary ends of games become passionate values celebrated as deeply as any in life for some people. Sit through a Yankees game with Andy Bernstein some time, if you dare. Perhaps "optional value", or non-essential value. They're not metaphysically important outside the arbitrary context of the game, but "not a value" is not what you're getting at. Think of Ayn Rand's humor discussion: Humor is the denial of metaphysical importance to that which you laugh at. The ends of games are similar - if the end of a game has metaphysical importance, it's no longer a game.
Well, the phrase "as such" is doing a lot of work for me. Of course people value touchdowns or home runs and are elated when they happen. But it is something that is only a value within the context of the game and is meaningless outside of it. (If you're doing fungos with a baseball bat and really light into the ball and knock it over the fence, it doesn't mean nearly the same thing, because it's not happening in a game.)
By contrast, food is a value and you need it and enjoy it without necessarily having to watch the process by which it was made. It is a value in its own right and not just within the context of the arbitrary rules or procedures of the kitchen. (Unless you are watching "Iron Chef.") That's the distinction I was getting at.