“THE THIRD PLACE” - COMPUTER GAMES AND OUR CONCEPTION OF THE REAL. May 20th-21st, 2005 IT University of Copenhagen, Rued Langgaards Vej 7, 2300 Copenhagen S, room 3A14. Computer games have become a dominant influence in modern culture, and are set to gain an ever increasing importance in the years to come. This development gives rise to a number of questions. Among these is the question how computer games challenge andaffect traditional conceptions of what it is for something to be real. The aim of the workshop is to initiate a discussion between computer games researchers and philosophers on this question: What is the ontological status of the objects and events in a computer game, and how do they relate to objects and events outside of the game? On the one hand, an answer to this question must recognize that objects and events in computer games are real in some sense. On the other hand, it must also recognize that they are not real in quite the same sense as objects and events outside of the game are. To accommodate the reality of these objects and events, we need to consider our conception of the real as such. The workshop is open to everyone, and interested parties that are unable to attend are encouraged to notify the organizers if they are interested in possible collaboration or information about future initiatives. Program: Friday 09.30 Games in Virtual Environments: Towards a Virtual Ontology of Games Prof. Espen Aarseth 10.30 What is Real? Prof. Olav Asheim 11.30 Framing the Ludic Commons - Cooperation and Conflict in Multiplayer Games Ph.d. Candidate Jonas Heide Smith 12.00 Lunch 13.00 Reality and Mimesis: Aristotle on Computer Games Ass. Prof. Hallvard Fossheim 14.00 Discipline Reloaded: Players, Game Design, and Technologies of Power Ph.D. Candidate Miguel Sicart 15.00 The Half-Reality of Games Ass. Prof Jesper Juul 16.00 Possible Worlds and Real Worlds in Interaction? Semiotic “Transworld” Perspectives Prof. Patrick J. Coppock Saturday 10.00 The Myth of the Real in Gran Turismo Ph.d. Candidate Charlie Breindahl 11.00 Real or Virtual? Does it Matter for My Spatial Orientation? Ph.D. Candidate Anita Leirfall 12.00 Lunch 13.00 Challenge-perspectives on Games Ph.d. candidate Sara Mosberg Iversen 14.00 Interpretation, Interaction and the Anchoring of the Real Ph.D. Candidate John Richard Sageng 15.00 Notes for a Phenomenological Ontology of Virtual Worlds Ph.D. Candidate Tarjei Mandt Larsen 16.00 Plenary discussion The workshop will be held at seminar room 3A14 on the IT University of Copenhagen, Rued Langgaards Vej 7, 2300 København. It is a collaboration between Filosofisk Prosjektsenter in Oslo, Center for Computer Games Research, ITU and Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas at the University of Oslo.