How Games Secretly Shape Our World

Explore the profound impact of games on society, science, and human behavior in this captivating lecture by neuroscientist and physicist Kelly Clancy. Delve into the evolution of games since the Enlightenment, examining their influence on military theory, biology, AI, neuroscience, and democracy. Discover how games shape our understanding of the world, reveal insights into the human mind, and even predict future outcomes. Investigate the play instinct in humans and animals, the role of uncertainty and dopamine in play, and the history of gambling and chance. Learn about probability theory, game theory as a branch of mathematics, and the application of games in artificial intelligence. Examine how games blur the line between fiction and reality, their impact on human behavior, and their potential to address real-world challenges like organ donation. Gain a deeper appreciation for the multifaceted role of games in shaping our world and influencing various aspects of society, from technology to economics and politics.

Intro
The play instinct in humans and animals
How uncertainty and dopamine influence play
The history of gambling and chance
Probability theory and Blaise Pascal
Can we understand war through games?
Game theory as a branch of mathematics
Artificial intelligence and games
Gamifying reality and human behaviour
Using games to increase organ donation