Autonomy, Heteronomy, and Representations of Illness in Digital Games

Görgen, Arno; Simond, Stefan H. (2020). Autonomy, Heteronomy, and Representations of Illness in Digital Games In: Games and Ethics. Theoretical and Empirical Approaches to Ethical Questions in Digital Game Cultures. Digitale Kultur und Kommunikation: Vol. 7 (pp. 239-256). Wiesbaden: Springer VS 10.1007/978-3-658-28175-5_15

Text Görgen u Simond 2020 - Autonomy, Heteronomy and Representations of Illness in DIgital Games.pdf - Published Version Restricted to registered users only Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (323kB) | Request a copy

Starting from essential concepts of medical ethics, this article focuses on how constructions of somatic and mental illnesses in digital games tie in with ideas of autonomy and heteronomy. Distinguishing between disease, illness, and sickness, we argue that digital games negotiate autonomy/heteronomy on the level of narrative, esthetics, and gameplay structure. Three games then serve as analytical examples: Outlast (Red Barrels 2013), Depression Quest (The Quinnspiracy 2013) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games 2018).

Item Type:	Book Section (Book Chapter)
Division/Institute:	Bern Academy of the Arts Bern Academy of the Arts > Institute of Design Research Bern Academy of the Arts > Institute of Design Research > Design and Rhetoric
Name:	Görgen, Arno0000-0001-9319-4497 and Simond, Stefan H.
ISBN:	978-3-658-28174-8
Series:	Digitale Kultur und Kommunikation
Publisher:	Springer VS
Language:	English
Submitter:	Arno Görgen
Date Deposited:	29 Jun 2021 15:10
Last Modified:	29 Jun 2021 15:10
Publisher DOI:	10.1007/978-3-658-28175-5_15
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Bioethics; Computer game ethics; Game studies; Autonomy; Heteronomy; Theory of disease; Pathography
ARBOR DOI:	10.24451/arbor.14962
URI:	https://arbor.bfh.ch/id/eprint/14962