TITLE:
Philosophical Themes in Mass Effect
AUTHORS:
Michael Aristidou, Brian Basallo
KEYWORDS:
Video Games, Utilitarianism, Will to Power, Nietzsche, Argument
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Philosophy,
Vol.4 No.2,
May
22,
2014
ABSTRACT:
In this paper we
will analyze some decisions a player has to make as Shepard, the main character
from the popular video game Mass Effect.
We will view those decisions through the lenses of two philosophical positions,
utilitarianism and Nietzsche’s “will to power”, and connect those and other
dilemmas to our own world today. We will also discuss ways how Mass Effect could be integrated into
and be a useful aid for an introductory philosophy class.
