Why do humans play games? | Irving Finkel and Lex Fridman

Quick Overview

Humans play games, which involve chance and strategy, because these activities provide a structured, safe environment to explore fundamental aspects of human nature, such as rivalry, hostility, and the desire to win, which are often constrained in real-life social settings.

Key Points: The desire to play games, incorporating chance and strategy, is deeply rooted in human nature, offering a safe outlet for inherent rivalry and the drive to win. Ancient games, like those played with astragali (sheep knucklebones), were not just for entertainment but also served divination purposes, as evidenced by Tablet BM 33333B from Babylon (177 BC). The guest suggests that the rules of ancient games were often carefully crafted to be 'cauch[ed] in such a way' that they talked about life in a bar or tavern setting, reflecting social dynamics. Some ancient games, such as those involving wolves against geese or Fox and Geese, were structured so that winning was less important than the process or the social interaction itself. The concept of 'Time pass' is distinguished from 'pastime'; the former refers to what one does when it is too hot to do anything else, while the latter implies a more deliberate, beneficial activity. The guest notes that ancient games often involved both monetary betting and literary/narrative elements, such as the genre 'Gambler's Lament'.

Context: This is an interview segment from the Lex Fridman Podcast featuring a guest, Irving Finkel, an Assyriologist known for his work on ancient Mesopotamian culture and cuneiform tablets. The conversation centers on the deep, perhaps evolutionary, reasons why humans engage in games, contrasting modern gaming with ancient practices like using astragali (knucklebones) for both play and divination.

Detailed Analysis

The discussion explores the psychological and historical roots of playing games. Lex Fridman posits that the human desire for games, which combine chance and strategy, stems from an innate need to engage in rivalry and test skills in a controlled setting, preventing these competitive urges from becoming destructive in real life. Irving Finkel confirms this by referencing ancient evidence, specifically Tablet BM 33333B from Babylon (177 BC), which describes rules for games involving astragali (sheep knucklebones) used as dice. Finkel explains that these ancient games often had rules framed to reflect social situations, sometimes even involving betting or being played when it was too hot to do other work (differentiating this from true 'pastime'). He highlights that the outcome (winning) wasn't always the primary focus; for example, some games like 'Fox and Geese' or those described in the 'Gambler's Lament' were set up to provide a credible narrative or structure for social interaction, regardless of who won or lost, suggesting games serve a crucial function in managing human social competition and channeling energy.