The Semiotic Cycle

by Swinton Roof

Sept 3, 2001

I seem to be moving toward a semiotic formulation of the physical sciences. The following diagram and analogies highlight some of my initial observations. Evolution is the metalevel recursive cycling between reproduction and genesis. It has significance both to the individual and to the individual's semantic gene pool. As such, it is signatory, referential, and time-binding. Signs are space-time modulated selective digital extractions of significant analog mass-energy interactions. Genesis is interpretive and selective expansion of digital sign templates (DNA) i.e. the act of de-referencing. Reproduction is selective encoding of semantic analog knowledge at the enviornmental level i.e. referencing or sign creation. Signs are triadic (symbol,interpretant,object). The overlap between individual and population involves the overlap between two interpretants - one concrete (individual) , the other abstract (population). The exchange of information between these two interpretants occurs in the semiotic cycle which binds time and evolves. It is metalevel because it involves oscillation between concrete specifics and abstract generalities.  

SIGN : REFERENT

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FORM : SUBSTANCE

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DIGITAL : ANALOG

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DISTINCTION : INTERPRETATION

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CHOICE : BEHAVIOUR

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PARTICLE : WAVE

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SPATIO-TEMPORAL MAPPING : MASS-ENERGY MAPPING

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DNA : ORGANISM

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TEMPLATE : INSTANTIATION

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COMPRESSION : EXPANSION

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GENERAL : SPECIFIC

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ABSTRACT : CONCRETE

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WRITE : READ

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EXTENSION : INTENSION

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REPRODUCTION : GENESIS

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ORDER : CHAOS