Call for Papers

The Philosophy of Computer Games Conference 2008

We hereby invite scholars in any field who take a professional interest in the phenomenon of computer games to submit papers to the international conference "The Philosophy of Computer Games 2008",  to be held in Potsdam, Germany,  on May 8-10, 2008.

Accepted papers will have a clear focus on philosophy and philosophical issues in relation to computer games. They will also attempt to use specific examples rather than merely invoke "computer games" in general terms. We invite submissions focusing on, but not limited to, the following three headings:

Action|Space
Papers submitted under this heading should address issues relating to the experiential, interactional and cognitive dimensions of computer game play. What is the nature of perceptual experience in game space? How should we understand the relationship between action, interaction and space in computer game environments?  How should we think about players' aesthetic, emotive and(/or) rational responses to what goes on inside the game space?

Ethics / Politics
What are the ethical responsibilities of game-makers in exerting influence on individual gamers and society in general? What role, if any, can games serve as a critical cultural corrective in relation to traditional forms of media and communicative practices, for example in economy and politics? Also: what is the nature of the ethical norms that apply within the gaming context, and what are the factors that allow or delimit philosophical justifications of their application there or elsewhere?

The Magic Circle
Terms such as "fictionality", "virtuality", "simulation" or "representation" are often used to indicate specific functions of objects in games. But what is the nature of the phenomena these terms refer to in the interactive field of game play? And what is the structure of gaming-processes? What is the mediality of digital games? We are especially interested in discussions that aim at how the notion of a self-contained "magic circle" – representing an imagined border between play and reality, or the internal and external limits of game-programs – is being challenged by forms of individual action and social inter action which tend to transcend such limits.

Your paper should not exceed 25 000 characters (excluding blanks) and be accompanied by an abstract of 300 words. Please specify the primary focus (topic) of your submission.

Notification of accepted papers will be sent out by March 12, 2008.

The conference is a collaboration between the following institutions:

• Institute for Arts and Media, European Media Studies at the University of Potsdam, Germany
• Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas at the University of Oslo, Norway
• Department of Social, Cognitive and Quantitative Science at the University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Italy
• Center for Computer Games Research at the IT-University of Copenhagen, Denmark
• Philosophical Project Centre (FPS), Oslo, Norway

For more information, visit gamephilosophy.org

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