Dark Souls and Philosophy

by Michaud Nicolas (Editor)

Overview

The celebrated literary critic and theorist of popular culture Paul A. Cantor predicted that the next greatest work of art in the history of world civilization will be a videogame. In the opinion of many gamers, Dark Souls is the video game that has come closest to fulfilling this prophecy. This action-adventure RPG features some of the most astounding artistry and visual imagery throughout its complex storylines. The creators’ choice to intentionally direct players' focus onto individual character development through the usage of exploration, interconnecting environments, and rebirth has made Dark Souls one of the highest grossing video games of all time. Its cyclical world views make it ripe with philosophical elements and inspirations, making it truly unique and launching an unparalleled empire of gaming. 

Now, modern-day philosophers explore the deeper topics and issues lying within Dark Souls’ lore, delving into its twists and turns to identify insightful and thoughtful discussions, idioms and thematic elements to inspire the everyday gamer.
This is book #4 in our series, Pop Culture and Philosophy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781637700143
Publisher:	Carus Books
Publication date:	07/22/2025
Series:	Pop Culture and Philosophy , #4
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.00(d)
Age Range:	Up to 18 Years

About the Author

Nicolas Michaud has edited Batman, Superman, and Philosophy: Badass or Boyscout (2016), Discworld and Philosophy: Reality Is Not What It Seems (2016), and Frankenstein and Philosophy: The Shocking Truth (2013). He co-edited, with Jennifer Watkins, Iron Man vs. Captain America and Philosophy: Give Me Liberty or Keep Me Safe (2018).

Table of Contents

Among the path-breaking chapters in Dark Souls and Philosophy:

• Imran Aijaz, “Is There a ‘Right’ Way to Play a Souls Game?”, critically examines the controversy that erupted over Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice when James Davenport confessed that he cheated to finish the game.

• Joseph Dunne, “YOU . . . DIED? The Nature of Death in Dark Souls” evaluates the nature of death in Dark Souls by reviewing the world’s lore through the lens of contemporary philosophical approaches to the proper definition of human death.

• Sébastien Hock-Koon, “Sun Tzu in Lordran” studies the relationship between Sun Tzu’s Art of War and a player’s journey to reach the end of Dark Souls.

• Dan Larkin, “Git Gud: Why Every True Dark Souls Player Lives to See the Words ‘You Died’,” investigates the appeal and benefit, of the difficulty of Dark Souls through Nietzsche’s doctrine of the Will to Power.

• Ryan Smock, “Be Wary of Mimicry: The Dangers of Rage-quitting.” While we seem to enjoy watching people throw tantrums when they lose, we end up imitating their angry behavior, and the resulting harm we do to ourselves far outweighs the pleasure we receive from this entertainment.

• Dylan Popowicz, “We Must Imagine the Chosen Undead Happy’ explores what Dark Souls has to teach us about how we can escape the absurdities of existence, and to embrace a playful, humorous, and inventive approach to life.

• Tailer Ransom, “Skilled Perception and Dark Souls.” Encountering bosses in Dark Souls is generally an exercise in discovering how something initially taken to be impossible is actually quite achievable. From a phenomenological perspective we can see how learning how to beat a boss is not merely a matter of pressing the correct buttons, but developing skilled perception.

• Ryan Smock, “Dark Souls as a Forge for the Soul.” In a weird way, the overwhelmingly punishing nature of Dark Souls teaches many of the same lessons passed down by classical Stoicism.

• Bennet Soenen, “The Death of God and the Age of Darkness” scrutinizes the player killing the gods of this universe and putting out the fire in the second ending—and how that relates to Nietzsche’s ideas concerning the death of god and the formation of the world in our own image.

• Dylan Popowicz, “Death, the Lordvessel, and Losing Your Identity in Lordran” unpacks the notion of personal identity through a discussion of the Chosen Undead’s repeated deaths, rebirths, and other transformations.