C. Thi Nguyen

C. Thi Nguyen (born 1977 or 1978)

After completing his doctorate, Nguyen taught as an adjunct professor while doing work on the philosophy of aesthetics. A review in the LA Review of Books describes the book as arguing that "game design is the art of engineering paths to success that make for a pleasurable, beautiful experiences."

A 2021 special issue of the Journal of the Philosophy of Sport responded to Nguyen's work, the Games book in particular.

Nguyen plays board, video, and role-playing games, rock climbs, yo-yos, cooks, and fly fishes, and he discusses his interest in these games and hobbies in his work. The Washington Post called it "profound, rigorous and frequently beautiful." . The Guardian called it a "compelling read".

Selected works Games: Agency as Art. Oxford University Press. 2020. "Value Capture." Journal of Ethics and Social Philosophy. 27 (3). 2024 The Score: How to Stop Playing Somebody Else’s Game. Penguin Press. 2026