James P. Carse - "Religious War in Light of the Infinite Game"

James P. Carse

Finite and infinite games

Countless readers have been hooked by the opening line of James P. Carse’s FINITE AND INFINITE GAMES— “There are at least two kinds of games. One could be called finite, the other, infinite. A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, an infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play.” Readers become rereaders; the tiny book rewards close study. I used Carse’s ideas for the concluding chapter of my own book on long-term thinking.

Meanwhile we seem to be flirting these days with the prospect of a global religious war.

“War is the ultimate finite game. Religion is the ultimate infinite game,” said Jim Carse last night…

Read the rest of Stewart Brand’s Summary

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

More from Civilization

What is the long now?

The Long Now Foundation is a nonprofit established in 01996 to foster long-term thinking. Our work encourages imagination at the timescale of civilization — the next and last 10,000 years — a timespan we call the long now.

Learn more

Join our newsletter for the latest in long-term thinking

Long Now's website is changing...