There are two kinds of games, philosopher James Carse proposes: finite games, played to determine a winner, and infinite games, played to keep the game going. This distinction, simple enough to state, opens onto questions about how we live, what we value, and how societies organize themselves. Carse, who taught religion at New York University, uses the game metaphor to explore culture, religion, warfare, and the nature of existence itself. Finite players play within boundaries; infinite players play with boundaries. Finite players seek titles that confirm their victories; infinite players relinquish titles to remain open to surprise. Finite games have definite endings; infinite games continue beyond any particular moment. Carse applies these distinctions to institutions, relationships, and personal identity. Societies that organize around finite games become hierarchical and bellicose; those that embrace infinite play remain creative and adaptive. The book is aphoristic rather than argumentative, offering observations and provocations rather than sustained analysis. Its influence has spread beyond philosophy into business, spirituality, and social commentary. Simon Sinek's recent book on the topic introduced Carse's ideas to a new audience. Readers should not expect systematic philosophy but something closer to poetry, an invitation to see familiar situations in unfamiliar ways.