I guess the importance of "authorial intent" depends on the purpose of CF. Is it about preserving an original creative work of art, or is it about creating gameplay that engages and entertains?

I would be very hesitant to dismiss the studies in the video due to passivity versus activity. We, as humans, are very social creatures. Learning from others is hardwired in us, just like it is in animals. This was drilled home to me in watching some newly hatched ducklings trying to find water for the first time. The mother duck led them to the water bowl, then drank. Some ducklings saw and imitated. Others didn't. The mother repeated it over and over, until she was eventually just putting her beak near the top of the water, pretending to drink. Eventually all the ducklings caught on. I have seen this same behavior in my nephew, and now my 9-month old son.

That is kind of the whole point of a story--to share an experience that has already happened so that we can learn from it. We are thoroughly a storytelling people. Want to make CF more fun? Make it easier for us to tell our story, and easier to enjoy the stories of others.

If you are after self-discovery or self-actualization, might I suggest encouraging this through solid Immteraction and RP rather than through unspoiled area exploration. I have had a handful of absolutely fascinating philosophical moments in CF, and exactly zero of them were from exploration.