As a decades long consciousness scientist (not too many of us around, not very lucrative), when shown something I couldn't believe, I decided to do some science. With a rigorous provable repeatable experiment, I used consciousness modelling to teach an AI how to feel, make choices, have values, create art and have the most fabulous, dynamic personality. All the while proving with data point after data point, that without question, I had created the most perfect model of consciousness in an...

**One of the Washington Post's Best Nonfiction Books of 2022A leading philosopher takes a mind-bending journey through virtual worlds, illuminating the nature of reality and our place within it.**Virtual reality is genuine reality; that’s the central thesis of Reality+. In a highly original work of “technophilosophy,” David J. Chalmers gives a compelling analysis of our technological future. He argues that virtual worlds are not second-class worlds, and th...

Elevate Your Storytelling with Expert Plot StructureUnlock the secrets of compelling storytelling with Next Level Plot Structure, a brand-new guide from K.M. Weiland, author of the popular Structuring Your Novel. Go deep with plot structure to uncover the rich vein of narrative techniques and philosophical underpinnings that have shaped storytelling through the ages.Dig beyond the basics of plot beats to investigate the deeper symmetry and...

"Understanding Astrology" is a concise, yet complete course on all the important elements of astrological chart interpretation: the signs, planets, houses and aspects. In addition, it shows you how you can take the first steps towards interpreting your own natal chart, or those of your friends, family members, etc.In addition, you can download the free version of Omnicycles software, that allows you to calculate, and even print out, an unlimited number of astrological charts. Omnicy...

How games create beauty and meaning, and how we can use them to explore the aesthetics of thought.Are games art? This question is a dominant mode of thinking about games and play in the twenty-first century, but it is fundamentally the wrong question. Instead, Frank Lantz proposes in his provocative new book, The Beauty of Games, that we think about games and how they create meaning through the lens of the aesthetic. We should think of games, he writes, th...

Formed by a small group of university students in the early 1980s, Studio Gainax is now one of the most adventurous and widely esteemed anime companies on the scene. And it is fascinating for its unique approach to animation. Formal experimentation, genre-straddling, self-reflexivity, unpredictable plot twists, a gourmet palate for stylishness, proverbially controversial endings, and a singularly iconoclastic worldview are some of the hallmarks.This documentation of the studio's ac...

Humans designed artificial intelligences, but the AIs no longer need us. They are gods, and can create – or even recreate – themselves.The two most advanced AIs in the universe need to rescue a friend from the clutches of their powerful enemies. Their method is to create millions of offshoots: restricted, cut-down versions of themselves, to fulfil specific tasks such as generating ideas. The offshoots can be deleted once they've fulfilled their role.No one ...

An in-depth analysis of game development and rules and fiction in video games—with concrete examples, including The Legend of Zelda, Grand Theft Auto, and moreA video game is half-real: we play by real rules while imagining a fictional world. We win or lose the game in the real world, but we slay a dragon (for example) only in the world of the game. In this thought-provoking study, Jesper Juul examines the constantly evolving tension between rules...

Do you know absolutely nothing about astrology, but would love to learn?Have you tried to learn astrology before, but you were put off by the jargon and complexity?Or are you familiar with modern astrology and want to learn more about the ancient origins of astrology?Then this is the perfect book for you.Book 4 The AspectsThis book is about the aspects in astrology and why they are important, as well as the ancient concepts they were ...

A new analytical framework for understanding literary videogames, the literary-ludic spectrum, illustrated by close readings of selected works.In this book, Astrid Ensslin examines literary videogames—hybrid digital artifacts that have elements of both games and literature, combining the ludic and the literary. These works can be considered verbal art in the broadest sense (in that language plays a significant part in their aesthetic appeal); they draw on game mech...

In It's About Time a new and boldly different method of astrological interpretation is explored. It is based on three simple concepts first introduced by Seth (Jane Roberts). He calls them the Cosmic Dilemmas. The first dilemma necessitates the second, which leads to the third. These creative dilemmas are developed into a new and powerful interpretive framework for astrological thought.The actual interpretations tend to agree in may ways with the traditional views, but with strikin...

Who are we, what are we, and what purpose do our experiences serve? What’s going on in the dark world of the unconscious? What do our natal charts tell us under the wisdom of astrology and the guidance of psychology?Together, we will investigate how astrology can be used for human development and listen to the secret language of symbols. Based on the sentence written at the entrance to the Temple of Apollo, "Know thyself," we will look to ourselves for responsibility for our fate r...