At least I'm pretty sure this is Thursday. I have a show tonight in the Adirondack Mountains with my old band, Black Mountain Symphony, so it feels like the weekend...
So I'll be quick. Last week I noted that philosophy has become as important a hobby to me as playing music Pauper Magic. It seems to me a marriage of any two of theses makes sense to explore as well, the ones that marry philosophy and any of my other interests are the most worthwhile to me.
That's what the Philosophy of Magic is, the combination of the two, both applied to the other at once.
That's a broad generatlization for some specifics that I haven't figured out yet. Surely other thinkers also enjoy this game and do the same from time to time. How might Kant's categorical imperative apply to tough game states? What might Walter Benjamin have thought of the aesthetics of the game? What's the logic behind how Richard Garfield's design that makes everything work?
I've found similar questions asked of other areas of arts and entertainment, namely in series of books that take on pop culture phenomena and delve into the philosophy of them. These include the Blackwell/Open Court Pop Culture and Philosophy series that famously began with Seinfeld and Philosophy.
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The THOUGHT for today is simple: I'd like to see a Magic and Philosophy book published in the same way. The game is certainly a pop culture phenomenon and its design, mechanics, following, game play, and subject matter all lend themselves just as well to philosophical examination as the television shows, movies, musicians, and other games that have been written about. Hopefully someday Magic will get the same treatment as these sitcoms and rock bands.
And now I'm off to play in a rock band myself! Until next time, good luck! Peace,
- C
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