BioShock and Philosophy

Considered a sign of the ‘coming of age’ of video games as an artistic medium, the award-winning BioShock franchise covers vast philosophical ground. BioShock and Philosophy: Irrational Game, Rational Book presents expert reflections by philosophers (and Bioshock connoisseurs) on this critically acclaimed and immersive fan-favorite.

• Reveals the philosophical questions raised through the artistic complexity, compelling characters and absorbing plots of this ground-breaking first-person shooter (FPS)
• Explores what BioShock teaches the gamer about gaming, and the aesthetics of video game storytelling
• Addresses a wide array of topics including Marxism, propaganda, human enhancement technologies, political decision-making, free will, morality, feminism, transworld individuality, and vending machines in the dystopian society of Rapture
• Considers visionary game developer Ken Levine’s depiction of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, as well as the theories of Aristotle, de Beauvoir, Dewey, Leibniz, Marx, Plato, and others from the Hall of Philosophical Heroes

Hacking into This Book (Introduction) vii
Luke Cuddy

Part I Level 1 Research Bonus: Increased Wisdom Capacity 1

1 BioShock’s Meta‐Narrative: What BioShock Teaches the Gamer about Gaming 3
Collin Pointon

2 The Value of Art in BioShock: Ayn Rand, Emotion, and Choice 15
Jason Rose

3 SHODAN vs. the Many: Or, Mind vs. the Body 27
Robert M. Mentyka

4 “The cage is somber”: A Feminist Understanding of Elizabeth 38
Catlyn Origitano

Part II Tears, Time, and Reality 49

5 Rapture in a Physical World: Did Andrew Ryan Choose the Impossible? 51
James Cook

6 Would You Kindly Bring Us the Girl and Wipe Away the Debt: Free Will and Moral Responsibility in BioShock Infinite 58
Oliver Laas

7 BioShock as Plato’s Cave 69
Roger Travis

8 BioShock Infinite and Transworld Individuality: Identity across Space and Time 76
Charles Joshua Horn

9 Shockingly Limited: Escaping Columbia’s God of Necessity 86
Scott Squires and James McBain

Part III The “Union” and the Sodom Below 95

10 “The bindings are there as a safeguard”: Sovereignty and Political Decisions in BioShock Infinite 97
Rick Elmore

11 Propaganda, Lies, and Bullshit in BioShock’s Rapture 107
Rachel McKinnon

12 The Vox Populi Group, Marx, and Equal Rights for All 114
Tyler DeHaven and Chris Hendrickson

Part IV The Circus of Values 127

13 Infinite Lighthouses, Infinite Stories: BioShock and the Aesthetics of Video Game Storytelling 129
László Kajtár

14 Have You Ever Been to Rapture?: BioShock as an Introduction to Phenomenology 139
Stefan Schevelier

15 “Evolve today!”: Human Enhancement Technologies in the BioShock Universe 150
Simon Ledder

16 Vending Machine Values: Buying Beauty and Morality in BioShock 161
Michael J. Muniz

Notes on Contributors 168

Index 173

LUKE CUDDY is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, CA. He edited The Legend of Zelda and Philosophy, World of Warcraft and Philosophy, and HALO and Philosophy. An avid guitar player as well as gamer, he continues to annoy his friends with impromptu performances of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken."

WILLIAM IRWIN (series editor) is Professor of Philosophy at King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books as co-editor of the bestselling The Simpsons and Philosophy, and has overseen titles including House and Philosophy, Batman and Philosophy, and Veronica Mars and Philosophy.

What does BioShock teach the gamer about gaming?

Should we be able to buy beauty and morality from a vending machine?

Is BioShock a legitimate critique of Ayn Rand's philosophy?

Did Booker ever have free will?

Will humans ever be able to shoot lightning out of their hands?

BioShock is a critically acclaimed "first-person shooter" video game first released in 2007. While gamers still thrill at taking down a rivet gun–wielding Big Daddy, what truly impresses BioShock aficionados is its incredibly immersive environment—from the atmospheric retro music and chilling audio diaries to a compelling storyline inspired by the controversial philosophy of Ayn Rand. Setting aside the eye-popping visuals of the game's nightmarish underwater dystopia, players must confront a remarkable series of philosophical choices based on morality, free will, and human nature.

BioShock and Philosophy features a collection of serious philosophical reflections on questions raised during the course of BioShock game play. Various philosophers consider a wide range of thought-provoking topics and ideas, including the accuracy of game developer Ken Levine's depiction of Rand's philosophy. As well as some of humanity's deepest mysteries, other topics include:

• The ethical concerns raised by the technologically advanced society portrayed in BioShock
• Marxist philosophy in relation to the underground insurgency of Vox Populi
• Questions of identity in relation to body and soul raised by Elizabeth's ability to manipulate tears that exist in the fabric of time

And what about the possibility of a future dystopian nightmare created by a real-life Andrew Ryan? If that ever happens, the intriguing philosophical musings of BioShock and Philosophy may just help prepare us for such a truly frightening scenario.

Considered a sign of the "coming of age" of video games as an artistic medium, the award-winning BioShock franchise covers vast philosophical ground. BioShock and Philosophy presents expert reflections by philosophers (and Bioshock connoisseurs) on this critically acclaimed and immersive fan favorite.