By the time you read this, Minecraft will have surpassed 33 million registered users, and with ports to Xbox and iPad, it’s poised to hit the mainstream big this year. Combining elements of sandbox games, MMOs and First-person shooters, this video game has won over gamers, educators and designers alike.
But did you know that Minecraft has a lot to teach us about how we pay attention to, get distracted from, and cope with things? Embedded in the design and the lore of the game are nuggets of philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology. From work/life balance to physical and mental health to the meaning of life (woah, heavy) Minecraft has something to teach us.
This workshop will investigate the nature of mind as illustrated by Minecraft, its different versions, and content. We’ll take a look at how this game creates a mediated environment for relationship, gives us memes to live by, and points the way toward deeper mindfulness and well-being. All that and Creepers! BOOM.