Can video games be part of the “good life?”

Are video games a waste of time?

In ancient Greece, Aristotle taught about eudaimonia, or what we might call “the good life”. According to him, a good life is one of flourishing and realising your potential.

So, can games enrich our lives, or are they a kind of “false pleasure,” distracting us from who we are meant to be?

Guests
Dr Declan Humphreys is a researcher in philosophy and applied ethics, specialising in AI ethics and cybersecurity. He teaches at the School of Science, Technology and Engineering at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and was part of the ABC Top 5 Humanities media residency program in 2025.

Shane Liesegang, SJ is a Jesuit theologian and former video game designer who worked as a quest designer on Skyrim (among other titles) with Bethesda Game Studios, Sony and Electronic Arts. After joining the Jesuits, he consulted on the game Starfield, writing the holy texts for a fictional faith called “Sanctum Universum”.

More from Soul Search