{"product_id":"9780807046814","title":"Homo Ludens","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eHomo Ludens\u003c\/i\u003e, the classic evaluation of play that has become a “must-read” for those in game design, Dutch philosopher Johan Huizinga defines play as the central activity in flourishing societies. Like civilization, play requires structure and participants willing to create within limits. Starting with Plato, Huizinga traces the contribution of \u003ci\u003eHomo Ludens\u003c\/i\u003e, or “Man the player” through Medieval Times, the Renaissance, and into our modern civilization. Huizinga defines play against a rich theoretical background, using cross-cultural examples from the humanities, business, and politics. \u003ci\u003eHomo Ludens\u003c\/i\u003e defines play for generations to come.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A happier age than ours once made bold to call our species by the name of \u003ci\u003eHomo Sapiens\u003c\/i\u003e. In the course of time we have come to realize that we are not so reasonable after all as the Eighteenth Century with its worship of reason and naive optimism, though us; \"hence moder fashion inclines to designate our species as\u003ci\u003eHomo Faber\u003c\/i\u003e: Man the Maker. But though \u003ci\u003efaber\u003c\/i\u003e may not be quite so dubious as sapiens it is, as a name specific of the human being, even less appropriate, seeing that many animals too are makers. There is a third function, howver, applicable to both human and animal life, and just as important as reasoning and making—namely, playing. it seems to me that next to \u003ci\u003eHomo Faber\u003c\/i\u003e, and perhaps on the same level as \u003ci\u003eHomo Sapiens\u003c\/i\u003e, Homo Ludens, Man the Player, deserves a place in our nomenclature. \"—from the Foreward, by Johan Huizinga\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Beacon Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47007721160944,"sku":"9780807046814","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780807046814_p0.jpg?v=1763739760","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780807046814","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}