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Game Gene Theory

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

"There is no survival of the fittest. There is not even a survival instinct."

So starts the back cover blurb of "Game Gene Theory" by Toronto philosopher Geoff Hamilton. I received my copies of this, today, after having done some editing for Geoff.

This is a book that argues that the instinct to play games is what causes us to survive, and to do much more besides. The author argues that a "survival instinct" could not function either as a conscious or unconscious trait, and that it could not possibly deal with the many circumstances that a given individual or species could face. The author cites many examples of spontaneous game play, and the utter absence of proof for a survival instinct. Moreover, he demonstrates how debilitating a survival instinct would be for a lifeform as complex as a human, in which the proiritization of short term survival would greatly hinder the chances of the individual (and thereby the entire species) to succeed.

An interesting read, and what's more an engaging and easy read. Whereas so much philosophy seems geared to demonstrating the intelligence of the author, Hamilton's work is geared at conveying ideas.