There are at least two kinds of games, states James P. Carse as he begins this extraordinary book. One could be called finite; the other infinite. Finite games are the familiar contests of everyday life; they are played in order to be won, which is when they end. But infinite games are more mysterious. Their object is not winning, but ensuring the continuation of play. The rules may change, the boundaries may change, even the participants may change-as long as the game is never allowed to come to an end. What are ...
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There are at least two kinds of games, states James P. Carse as he begins this extraordinary book. One could be called finite; the other infinite. Finite games are the familiar contests of everyday life; they are played in order to be won, which is when they end. But infinite games are more mysterious. Their object is not winning, but ensuring the continuation of play. The rules may change, the boundaries may change, even the participants may change-as long as the game is never allowed to come to an end. What are infinite games? How do they affect the ways we play our finite games? What are we doing when we play-finitely or infinitely? And how can infinite games affect the ways in which we live our lives? Carse explores these questions with stunning elegance, teasing out of his distinctions a universe of observation and insight, noting where and why and how we play, finitely and infinitely. He surveys our world-from the finite games of the playing field and playing board to the infinite games found in culture and religion-leaving all we think we know illuminated and transformed. Along the way, Carse finds new ways of understanding everything, from how an actress portrays a role to how we engage in sex, from the nature of evil to the nature of science. Finite games, he shows, may offer wealth and status, power and glory, but infinite games offer something far more subtle and far grander. Carse has written a book rich in insight and aphorism. Already an international literary event, Finite and Infinite Games is certain to be argued about and celebrated for years to come. Listening to it is the first step in learning to play the infinite game.
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Seller's Description:
Fair. The pages are sun faded and slightly yellowing The cover has visible markings and wear. This is a paperback copy The binding is split in the middle of the text but all pages are intact There are some creases on the spine Fast Shipping-Each order powers our free bookstore in Chicago and sending books to Africa!
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Seller's Description:
Pages and cover are intact. Used book in good and clean conditions. Limited notes marks and highlighting may be present. May show signs of normal shelf wear and bends on edges. Item may be missing CDs or access codes. May include library marks.
I have loaned out about five copies of this book and none ever come back! It really changes the way you look at a lot of the world. Many never get past the middle of the book having picked up the bulk of Carse's message. It is one of the books I have gone back to most often, especially when dealing with a "political" puzzle.
MTMan
Oct 4, 2007
Disappointing
An interesting and possibly very useful premise...playing to win is not the same as playing to continue the game. The premise encourages an approach to life that focuses interest more on bringing others into "play" and then encouraging their successful engagement in the game of life, as contrasted with an approach to life that is widely understood as "playing to win." Sadly, a lot of leaps required to swallow the logic used to support the ideas presented. In the end, I was more edified by the cover leaf than by the text.
