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OverviewWilliam Bainbridge takes an in-depth look at the fantasy religions that exist in 34 different massively multiplayer online roleplaying games. He categorizes the religions, noting similarities across the games. He points, for instance, to the prevalence of polytheism: a system which, Bainbridge argues, can function as an effective map of reality in which each deity personifies a concept. Religions are as much about conceptualizing the self as conceptualizing the sacred. Most games allow the players to have multiple avatars, an idea Bainbridge likens to contemporary scientific ideas about personality. He also focuses on sacred spaces; the prevalence of magic and its relationship to the computer program and programmer; the fostering of a tribal morality by both religion and rules programmed into the game; the rise of cults and belief systems within the game worlds (and how this relates to social science theories of cult formation in the real world); and, of course, how the gameworld religions depict death. As avatars are immortal, death is merely a minor setback in most games. At the same time, much of the action in some gameworlds centers on the issue of mortality and the problematic nature of resurrection. Bainbridge contends that gameworlds are giving us a new perspective on the human quest, one that combines the arts and simulates most aspects of real life. The quests in gameworlds also provide meaning for human action, in terms of narratives about achieving goals by overcoming obstacles. Perhaps meaning does not naturally exist in our universe, but must be created by us, both in our fantasies and in day-to-day life. Like the games analyzed in this book, he says, traditional religions are fantasies that should be respected as works of art in a future civilization of disbelief. Full Product DetailsAuthor: William Sims Bainbridge (co-Director, co-Director, Human-Centered Computing at the National Science Foundation)Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc Dimensions: Width: 23.50cm , Height: 2.30cm , Length: 15.50cm Weight: 0.445kg ISBN: 9780199935833ISBN 10: 0199935831 Pages: 338 Publication Date: 04 April 2013 Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Tertiary & Higher Education , Professional & Vocational Format: Paperback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: In stock  We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately. Table of ContentsReviewseGods may serve as a helpful reference for those researching online gaming, religious symbols, or considering a literary analysis of gaming environments. Daniel B. Shank, Sociology of Religion <br> This rich, provocative account addresses video games' pervasive religious-themed imagery and constructs, which, prior to Bainbridge's work, have been studiously overlooked in academic study. The nuanced exposition reveals games to be rife with cults, proselytizers, evangelists, inquisitors, afterlives, temples, tombs, shrines, and of course e-gods and goddesses. Essential reading for keeping our ideas about games fresh and finally inquiring about that elephant in the room. --Bonnie Nardi, author of My Life as a Night Elf Priest: An Anthropological Account of World of Warcraft, 2010<p><br> Author InformationWilliam Sims Bainbridge is a prolific and influential sociologist of religion, science and popular culture, and serves as co-director of Human-Centered Computing at the NSF as well as Senior Fellow at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |
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