3.0

Average Course Rating

While the verb most associated with the act of engaging in a game is “play,” competition is much more than simple “fun.” This seminar dives into world of strategy, to demonstrate the complexity and social richness of what one writer has called “a learning system common to all people.” To that end, our readings and discussions will focus on the mathematical theories, computation requirements, cognitive processes, and social dynamics that underpin games and strategic competition. As this is an academic course, we will also study games as vehicles for producing knowledge, understanding, and innovation—and consider how “gamification” might inform our own progress as scholars. In addition to drafting and revising a short seminar paper, students will end the semester designing, testing, and presenting a game of their own.