Game as a world symbol

Fink interprets play not from a cultural-historical, phenomenological, or anthropological perspective, but as a reference to the world in human existence. It possesses a cosmic transparency and is one of the clearest figures of our finite existence. The approach of play as a symbol of the world is developed in explicit critique of the metaphysical view of artistic play as mimesis, as well as the cultic interpretation of play in myth. In its place emerges a speculative concept of play that bundles questions of being, nothingness, and appearance. In play, humans do not remain within themselves, nor in the closed realm of their inner spirituality; rather, they ecstatically step out of themselves in a cosmic gesture and meaningfully interpret the entirety of the world. Fink's reflections on play could be relevant for educators as well as cultural diagnosticians, anthropologists, and those who study phenomena.