Free Will In Video Games

This article discuses a very interesting ethical question about the free will within videogames and if they is any moral responsibility related to the players choices throughout the game. The article started by discussing the recent debates about violence in videogames and if this had any correlation with real world violence. The author indicated that in most studies there is a very narrow depiction of the concept of moral relevance of virtual violence and that virtual violence has no direct effect on real world violence. However, the author did note than virtual violence could relate into fantasization of real world violence in one’s mind. The author then went on to discuss the idea of free will and if there is any morel responsibility for player within video games for their virtual actions. The author began by discussing to options regarding the idea of free will. The first option was that no one really has free will and regardless of ones actions …show more content…
The second option is there is free will to choose within life; however, ones choices are limited by their abilities and means to achieve their choice. The author then went on to discuss the idea of moral responsibility and choices within videogames in relation to Frankfurt’s compatibilism theory. The author concluded the article by stating “when we identify with some action, whether it is virtual or not, and thus when that action becomes part of our sense of self, it is our own actual moral psychology that is being employed.” I found this article to be very interesting and it was obvious throughout the article that the author was trying to make a point about the potential link between the moral choices made within video games and the moral choices a person will make in the real world. This is demonstrated in many places from her discussion on the relationship between real world violence in comparison to virtual violence and her interpretation of Frankfurt’s