So it's up to the individual (designer or player) to determine. Fair enough. I just thought it might also be up to the editorial columnist. Saying "it's not good or bad, but how you use it" is a fairly anodyne point, not enhanced much by chittering about remembering the classics and how the industry is gradually moving forward.

What makes MGS4's cut scenes "meaningful"?

Why does it make "absolutely no sense" to use cut scenes as a reward for finishing a level? Why is that not meaningful?

You seem to be saying that cut scenes aren't inherently good or bad; it's how they're used. But you don't advance any criteria for making a distinction. Well, except for bringing in Aristotle to say "don't put in stuff that's not meaningful."

So, again, how can you tell if a cut scene is meaningful in the context of a video game?

I was wondering if the header was really supposed to be "Denis Dyack Writes for Edge," rather than something pertaining to the content of your article. But having read it, I've changed my mind: the header does underscore the main point.