Philosopher Explains Why Games Reveal Deep Truths About Human Agency

Philosopher C. Thi Nguyen argues in his book 'The Score' that games are far from trivial distractions—they're windows into how human agency actually functions. Games demonstrate how voluntary constraints can create freedom, showing us what it means to choose goals and care about processes rather than just outcomes. However, Nguyen warns that the gamification of work, education, and social life through metrics and rankings often backfires. When simplified scores replace richer human judgment in areas that truly matter, we experience 'value capture' that reshapes what we value and how we see ourselves.