C. Thi Nguyen on Why Measuring Everything Ruins Everything

In The Retrieval of Ethics, Talbot Brewer argues that modern moral philosophy is limited by its focus on human agency as production-oriented activity. He proposes an alternative 'dialectical' conception of agency drawn from classical sources like Aristotle, emphasizing how our activities reveal our presence in the world. The book seeks to rescue moral philosophy from flawed questions and answers through this ambitious rethinking.

No information available for this title. David K. Randall is known for his non-fiction works on topics such as sleep and historical events.

C. Thi Nguyen's "Games: Agency as Art" delves into the philosophical underpinnings of game design, exploring the concept of agency as a core element of the player experience. Nguyen argues that games are not merely entertainment but also artistic expressions that shape player agency through their mechanics and narrative. The book examines how different game designs influence player choices and actions, highlighting the interplay between player freedom and the constraints imposed by the game's rules. Nguyen's work challenges traditional notions of art and expands our understanding of how games can be both engaging and thought-provoking. It's a significant contribution to game studies and philosophy.

In this book, James C. Scott examines the failures of centrally managed social plans and the destructive consequences of high-modernist ideologies. Scott argues that states often impose simplistic visions on complex societies, ignoring local, practical knowledge and leading to disastrous outcomes. He identifies four conditions common to all planning disasters: administrative ordering of nature and society, high-modernist ideology, authoritarian state power, and a prostrate civil society. The book critiques various utopian projects, including collective farms, compulsory villagization, and urban planning, and advocates for a more nuanced approach that respects local diversity and practical knowledge.