Kobe Philosophy Seminar Series(20): The game of philosophy (2026年10月6日（火））

Kobe Philosophy Seminar Series(20): The game of philosophy
 

Date: 6 October, 2026

Time: 15:10-16:40

Place: B133, Graduate School of Humanities, Kobe University

 

Speaker: Alexandre Declos (Université de Neuchâtel)

 

15:10-16:40 : Alexandre Declos  “The game of philosophy”

 Is philosophy a game we are playing? This question may seem absurd at first glance. Yet, I shall argue that it is both worth considering and deserves an affirmative answer. I will begin by showing that philosophical practice can be a form of game-playing, by considering scholastic disputes, backward reasoning, and conditional reasoning. I will then offer an argument for the stronger claim that philosophical practice is a form of game-playing in Bernard Suits’ sense (i.e.  the voluntary acceptance of unnecessary obstacles). This argument relies on a thought experiment: if we had access to a Super-Computer capable of providing true answers to all philosophical questions, would we use it? I argue that we would not, and that this reveals that we are (counterfactually) willing to accept unnecessary obstacles. If so, philosophical practice is a game: our goal is not merely to discover philosophical truths, but to reach them through our own intellectual efforts. I shall conclude by arguing that the lusory model does not diminish the value of philosophy.


Contact: Takuya niikawa (niikawa@ferret.kobe-u.ac.jp)

This workshop is supported by Project Innovation Ethics, KOBELSI and KAKENHI grant number 25K24749