Very much enjoyed this - thanks Chris. I have had Yablo's book on my amazon wishlist for ages but did not know he had any connection with the make-believe theories you are writing about. I think the book will end up in my Basket before too long :-) When I get my shit together and start my own blog about my thesis I will let you know - I suspect there will be quite a bit of overlap/scope for discussion.

Thanks for your presentation last night Chris, it was really well done and interesting. Shame I couldn't stay for a drink afterwards as I had to get back on the road (I was the chap who asked the last question, about invisible props)

Great link to the summary of your game... thanks. The "strength" of the rule set is a finely-judged thing... too weak and the game cannot get going, too strong and it may lose its ludic element. This suggests a dynamic equilibrium (games are complex systems of course, as you have suggested). But doesn't this complexity imply unpredictability ... if so then mustn't games be poor tools for shaping behaviour? *thinks* ... but then, what aspects of human behaviour aren't dynamic in this way? So perhaps the very fact that games tend to hover around equilibria means they are in some ways predictable. (Not sure if I've made any sense here!)

"games are not little abstract machines for sorting out winners and losers, but are always embedded in the thick physical-emotional soup of multitudinous humans interacting with each other." Love this! Your contrast between Monopoly and Nomic shows however that even a finite game like Monopoly still evolves in that same interpersonal soup - it may not be a very good game but can still be fun (especially if you bend the rules :) Settlers of Catan is similar to Monopoly but can involve a lot more opportunity for compassion and playful bargaining. I guess it all depends on the attitude of the players - usually shaped by the form of the game, but not necessarily.

I have no idea how many, and which, of those features will define the future of education. I suspect Joel is right and private will trump open, but I hope not. I do think that the main one is 'multimedia'. 'Social' goes without saying, I suppose. But really all I wanted to say was... Karine Polwart FTW!