#1887

Mentioned in 14 episodes

Homo ludens

Book • 1971

In 'Homo Ludens,' Johan Huizinga argues that play is a fundamental element of human culture, essential for the generation of culture.

He traces the contribution of play from ancient times through the Renaissance and into modern society, highlighting its role in law, science, philosophy, and the arts.

Huizinga defines play against a rich theoretical background, using cross-cultural examples to illustrate its universal significance and its civilizing functions.

Mentioned by

Matthew Crawford

Sheldon Solomon

Willeke Slingeland

Cameron Kunzelman

Mentioned in 14 episodes

Recommended by

Robert Greene

as a seminal work on the history and psychology of play.

#839 - Robert Greene - 12 Raw Truths About Gaining Power & Respect

Mentioned by

Reid Hoffman

in a discussion about the theory of "homo ludens" and its relevance to AI and game playing.

Demis Hassabis on AI, game theory, multimodality, and the nature of creativity

Mentioned by

Stewart Brand

as a book about the importance of play in human culture.

#281: Stewart Brand - The Polymath of Polymaths

Mentioned by

Daniel Mezick

when talking about the game-playing animal.

EP 302 Daniel Mezick on Games and Governance

Mentioned by

Reid Hoffman

in the context of discussing human nature and game playing.

Reid riffs on Tobi’s memo, AI and play, and the tweet that cost trillions

Mentioned by

Sheldon Solomon

when discussing different conceptions of human essence.

#117 – Sheldon Solomon: Death and Meaning

Referenced by

Phil Ford

in relation to play, highlighting how animals engaged in play before humans.

Episode 192 - A Dream of Landscape: On Walking

Mentioned by

Matthew Crawford

as a source for his discussion on play.

#619: What Driving Tells Us About Agency, Skill, and Freedom

Mentioned by Matthew Crawford in the context of play as the basis of civilization.

Matthew B. Crawford on Practical Philosophy and Shop Class as Soulcraft | This is The Opinion To Care About

Mentioned by

Ellie Anderson

as a work consulted in preparation for the episode, focusing on the play element in culture.

Mentioned by

Kurt Nelson

in the context of play and creativity.

Reclaim Your Brain and Escape Digital Chaos | Richard Cytowic

Mentioned by

Matthew Crawford

as a source of insight into risk-taking and competition.

Matthew Crawford on Why We Drive

Mentioned by

David Banks

to highlight the fundamental nature of play in human activity.

Why immersion — and not realism — is critical for wargaming

Genoemd door

Willeke Slingeland

, die het boek Homo Ludens noemt in de context van democratie als een 'serious game'.

Hoe zorgen we voor een democratie waarbij iedere Nederlander zich betrokken voelt?

Mentioned by

Joe Brewer

in the context of discussing the human capacity for play and its role in cultural evolution.

Culture Design with Joe Brewer and Morag Gamble

Mentioned by

Cameron Kunzelman

as an author discussed in the book. The speakers also mention a previous episode about this book.

24 – Laxton – Surrealism at Play

Mentioned when exploring how the play element in culture often serves as a stand-in for older rights of conflict.

The Meaning of War

Mark Wildschut

refereert aan dit boek bij de bespreking van het spelkarakter van oorlog in archaïsche culturen.

Ritueel en moderniteit: is er een terugweg? | #1980 André v/d Braak Gabriël v/d Brink Mark Wildschut

Mentioned as a major work by Johan Huizinga, exploring the role of play in culture.

"Kopen of afbetaling is als middeleeuwse horigheid" | #1973 Anton van der Lem

Erwähnt im Zusammenhang mit dem Konzept des Homo Ludens.

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