Man, Play, and GamesAccording to Roger Caillois, play is "an occasion of pure waste: waste of time, energy, ingenuity, skill, and often of money." In spite of this--or because of it--play constitutes an essential element of human social and spiritual development. In this classic study, Caillois defines play as a free and voluntary activity that occurs in a pure space, isolated and protected from the rest of life. Play is uncertain, since the outcome may not be foreseen, and it is governed by rules that provide a level playing field for all participants. In its most basic form, play consists of finding a response to the opponent's action--or to the play situation--that is free within the limits set by the rules. Caillois qualifies types of games-- according to whether competition, chance, simulation, or vertigo (being physically out of control) is dominant--and ways of playing, ranging from the unrestricted improvisation characteristic of children's play to the disciplined pursuit of solutions to gratuitously difficult puzzles. Caillois also examines the means by which games become part of daily life and ultimately contribute to various cultures their most characteristic customs and institutions. Presented here in Meyer Barash's superb English translation, Man, Play and Games is a companion volume to Caillois's Man and the Sacred. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - breadhat - LibraryThingThis is a great complement to Huizinga's work, and I found Caillois to be a more engaging writer. He brings some really eclectic material to the table, including animal psychology and detailed ... Read full review
Review: Man, Play and Games
User Review - David Hildebrand - GoodreadsA fascinating book by a fascinating intellectual. He provides an interesting model for the classification of games which seems inherently Nietzschean. Highlights include: his definition of play, his ... Read full review
Contents
The Definition of Play | 3 |
The Classification of Games | 11 |
The Social Function of Games | 37 |
The Corruption of Games | 43 |
Toward a Sociology Derived from Games | 57 |
Play and Games Variations | 69 |
An Expanded Theory of Games | 71 |
Simulation and Vertigo | 81 |
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Bibliographic information
| Title | Man, Play, and Games |
| Author | Roger Caillois |
| Translated by | Meyer Barash |
| Edition | reprint |
| Publisher | University of Illinois Press, 2001 |
| ISBN | 025207033X, 9780252070334 |
| Length | 208 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |