New video game aims to teach ethical decision-making

Frankenstein’s assistant, as imagined by Mel Brooks and played by Teri Garr, oversees an exchange of bodily organs between Dr. Frankenstein, played by Gene Wilder, left, and the monster, played by Peter Boyle, right, in the 1974 film, Young Frankenstein: In a game called Modern Prometheus, a player modelled on Frankenstein’s assistant is used to teach ethical decision making.

An educational role-playing video game may soon help pre-teens learn ethical decision making and other skills difficult to teach via traditional textbooks. "We want them to really wrestle with doing things and ask, 'Is it good for me, or is it good for everyone else?'" said developer Doug Thomas, a University of Southern California associate professor. "It's not just a game but also the conversation that happens around it." The Globe and Mail (Toronto)/Reuters