Explore The Concept Of The Game

This thesis focuses on the concept of "play" (Spiel in German), which is quite important in aesthetics. The nature of play links with the nature of art. Many thinkers use this concept in defining art or describing the aesthetical activities. I will analyze some aesthetical theories to dig out the relationship between play and art in the thesis.I investigate the meaning of play in different languages in the first part of this thesis, to show the different understanding of play in Chinese and western people. Then I do a research into the experience of play in our lives, trying to find the characters of play and the relationship between play and art in experience.I start the analyses of the aesthetic theories about play in the second part of this thesis. Kant is the first philosopher who uses play to define art. In his opinion, just like play, art is not for interests. Then is Schiller. He explains that it is play instinct that pushes people to create and enjoy the works of art. And I also say something about Herbert Spencer and Karl Groose, who analyze play and art in a biological way.The third part looks into the theories of Gadamer. Gadamer gives the concept of "play" an ontological meaning, which is totally different from the former thinkers. According to Gadamer, a play (or a game) belongs to the being of itself, without depending on the being of players, and spectators are also an important part of a play (or a game). He emphasizes that the way play to be is the way a work of art to be.In the final part, I discuss some problems in the aesthetic theories of play, such as the relationship between game and work, the relationship between the epoch-background and the thoughts of the thinkers.