Semiosis & Sign Exchange

design for a subjective situationism, including conceptual grounds of business information modeling

Pieter Wisse

prelude 3

The step from triad to hexad introduces relationships along dimensions. For the three elements of the original triad are replaced in the hexad by three element pairs. Each original element may now be considered a dimension containing such a pair. Thus, in the hexad, the background interpretant and foreground interpretant occupy the ideal dimension. The real dimension is occupied by situation and object, while context and sign shape the information dimension.

The next step is to apply this dimensional articulation for the purpose of recursion. Basically, it is what Chapter 3 accomplishes for the ontological design of subjective situationism. For example, start naively by considering the real dimension in isolation. Do the concepts of situation and object entertain absolute roles in their relationship? Why not see a role as relative? It permits a shift of roles.

Suppose a role is broadened. This happens when an object shifts to a situation (and reality’s horizon narrows correspondingly). The hexad’s dimensional articulation requires, however, one or more objects for a situation. A shift from, say, x being an object to x being a situation can therefore only occur through immediate recognition of objects in what is now situation x.

Shifting a role in the opposite direction lets situation x become object x. Now as object, it immediately entails a situation.

Including all elements of the hexad, the character of recursion can be added to the model of semiosis. It thereby explains additional dynamics, i.e., through recursion. In Chapter 3, it is especially role shifting of elements/concepts along dimensions which results in an ontology with greatly increased variety. Still only consisting of six basic variables, the ontology at this stage shows already a promising potential for incorporating relevant variety in conceptual information models.

Chapter 3 also addresses the special position in knowledge of ontology, or metaphysics. And a large part surveys some earlier attempts to recognize variety, undertaken with various degrees of ontological awareness. Though similar concepts abound, elsewhere the conceptual configuration of subjective situationism with its ‘double dynamics’ – first of Peircean semiosis through irreducibility, second of concept recursion through shifting – has not been discovered.

The importance of Chapter 4 in the ontological design lies in the extension from semiotic hexad to ennead.

 

 

2002, web edition 2005 © Pieter Wisse

 

 

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