A philosophy of games to help us win back control over what we value

The philosopher C. Thi Nguyenone of the leading experts on the philosophy of games and the philosophy of datatakes us deep into the heart of games, and into the depths of bureaucracy, to see how scoring systems shape our desires.

Games are the most important art form of our era. They embody the spirit of free play. They show us the subtle beauty of action everywhere in life in video games, sports, and boardgamesbut also cooking, gardening, fly-fishing, and running. They remind us that it isnt always about outcomes, but about how glorious it feels to be doing the thing. And the scoring systems help get us there, by giving us new goals to try on.

Scoring systems are also at the center of our corporations and bureaucraciesin the form of metrics and rankings. They tell us exactly how to measure our success. They encourage us to outsource our values to an external authority. And they push on us to value simple, countable things. Metrics dont capture what really matters; they only capture whats easy to measure. The price of that clarity is our independence.

The Scoreasks us is this the game you really want to be playing?

C. Thi Nguyenis associate professor of philosophy at the University of Utah, and a specialist in the philosophy of games, the philosophy of technology, and the theory of value. A former food writer for theLos Angeles Times, Nguyen is active in public philosophy, writing forThe New York Times,The Washington Post,New Statesman, and elsewhere.

• Publisher: Penguin Press
• Publish Date: January 13, 2026
• Pages: 368
• Language: English
• Type: Hardcover
• EAN/UPC: 9780593655658
• Dimensions: 9.5 X 6.4 X 1.3 inches | 1.2 pounds
• BISAC Categories: Self-Help, Philosophy, Business & Money