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The Grasshopper
262 pages, 2014
philosophy
711 booksIn the mid-twentieth century, the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein famously asserted that games are indefinable; there are no common threads that link them all. “Nonsense,” said the sensible Bernard Suits: “playing a game is a voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles. ”
The short book Suits wrote demonstrates precisely that is as playful as it is insightful, as stimulating as it is delightful. Through the jocular voice of Aesop's Grasshopper, a “shiftless but thoughtful practitioner of applied entomology,” Suits not only argues that games can be meaningfully defined; he also suggests that playing games is a central part of the ideal of human existence, and so games belong at the heart of any vision of Utopia.
This new edition of The Grasshopper includes illustrations from Frank Newfeld created for the book’s original publication, as well as an introduction by Thomas Hurka and a new appendix on the meaning of ‘play. ’
In The Grasshopper, Bernard Suits explores the idea of games and their importance in our lives. He suggests that games are a form of voluntary obstacles that we choose to overcome, providing us with a sense of achievement and satisfaction. This book will make you see games in a whole new light.
Suits digs into the philosophy of leisure, arguing that it's not just about doing nothing. Instead, he sees it as a state of being where we engage in activities for the sheer joy of them, not because we have to. This book will make you rethink your free time.
The Grasshopper presents a utopian world where life is a game. In this world, everyone is a player, and the goal is to play the game well. This unique perspective will make you question what it means to live a good life.
Suits takes a look at the role of rules in games. He argues that rules aren't just restrictions, but they actually create the game. Without rules, there would be no game. This book will make you appreciate the rules in your own life.
The Grasshopper is not just a book about games. It's also a book about wisdom. Through the character of the Grasshopper, Suits shares profound insights about life, happiness, and the human condition. This book will make you see the world in a different way.
