What do players do in a game? A Habermasian perspective

Zhang, Xiaolin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4749-0580, Ryall, Emily S ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6050-4353 and Edgar, Andrew ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4556-5147 (2024) What do players do in a game? A Habermasian perspective. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport, 50 (3). pp. 311-328. doi:10.1080/00948705.2023.2269427

Text (Peer-reviewed version) 13312 RYALL Emily (2023) What do players do in a game article.pdf - Accepted Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 16 April 2025. (Publisher Embargo). Available under License All Rights Reserved. Download (331kB)

Abstract

By adopting Habermas’ communicative theory, this paper categorizes players’ actions into four elements. The strategic action involves players manipulating each other within the framework of a gameFootnote1; normative action is manifested in following the rules and the underlying ethos; dramaturgical action emerges through the players’ deliberate presentation of themselves to both participants and spectators; and communicative action reveals the purpose of a game as a way of being. The conceptualization of game actions leads to a qualitative redefinition of the perfect game, which enables a greater understanding of the game, its participants, and human excellence. As such, this paper’s significance lies in the proposal that the Habermasian perfect game is a potential solution to Suits’ puzzle about what type of games can be played in his Utopia.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of the Philosophy of Sport on 16th October 2023, available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00948705.2023.2269427.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Habermas; Theory of communicative action; Perfect game; Utopia
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General) B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BJ Ethics G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education and Science
Research Priority Areas:	Health, Life Sciences, Sport and Wellbeing
Depositing User:	Emily Ryall
Date Deposited:	18 Oct 2023 10:41
Last Modified:	15 Mar 2025 13:46
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/13312

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