Semiotics (8): Four Periods of Semiosis

Introducing a new dimension to Semiosis.

We've dedicated considerable time to discussing the Four Phases of Semiosis. Now, we're ready to take a significant leap forward as we introduce the concept of the Four Periods of Semiosis. This introduction will expand our diagram, adding an entirely new dimension to it.

Before we begin this exploration, let's ensure we have some understanding of what these Periods encompass. What, precisely, do these Periods entail?

Vertical Thinking and Depth Thinking

Within the framework of the Four Phases, we've utilized terminology such as “higher/lower” and “upwards/downwards.” The use of this language is rooted in the concept of what I call vertical thinking.

The lower phases describe the foundational aspects of experience, such as perception, while the higher phases encompass the more abstract and symbolic “upper” structures that govern and shape our experience and existence.

For instance, when you are investigating a specific subject, the aim is to uncover the regularities that govern it and the connections it has. Through this learning process your understanding is elevated to a “higher” level, i.e. to the higher phases. In other words, growth of knowledge enables you to contemplate more general and universal patterns and laws.

For these reasons, I believe that using vertical metaphors is appropriate for describing the phases.

Periods, on the other hand, are all about depth. While phases place us within a specific phase at a particular vertical level, periods reveal how these phases are constructed by layers, lending them depth. Through the lens of periods, we delve deeper into the phases, gaining insight into the finer layers and structures that constitute them.

Development and Structure

Let's start to further elaborate on this metaphorical language of verticality and depth. The verticality linked to the phases describes the process of development, specifically the four developmental stages of semiosis. Essentially, these phases signify the progression of semiosis, signifying whether it is in its foundational stages, like perception, or if it has progressed to the realm of symbolic communication and sharing.

The depth of the periods, in turn, describes the structure, specifically, the four structural periods of semiosis. While with the phases, we transition from one phase to another, with the periods, all of the periods are always “present”.

For example, humans have both structure and development. The structure is consistent in every human; we all possess skeletal, muscle, organ, and nervous structures. There is no human being without these four structures. They are essential. Similarly, a sign always comprises the four periods. A sign cannot be without this structure.

In addition to structures, there are distinct phases in human life: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. Regardless of the phase, the structural components — skeletal, muscular, organ, and nervous structures — must be present, even though they undergo change as the phases develop. Likewise, the sign always maintains its four structural periods, even when the phases change.

So, both humans and signs seek to go through these four phases. Both humans and signs retain our structure through this journey. Both humans and signs embody knowledge and information in this process. Both humans and signs start as fluctuating and chaotic and become — hopefully — reasonable in the end.

No wonder, we both are signs.

The Four Periods

What are the Four Periods then? From the most fundamental to the most complex the periods are:

1. Grounding

2. Presentation

3. Representation

4. Communication

As with the phases, the more complex periods include the more fundamental ones. For instance, Presentation includes Grounding, and Communication includes all the other periods.

However, the more complex periods, are always present, although as mere possibilities. But more on this in later posts.

From the diagram above we see how 10 squares are formed. These are the 10 Stages of Semiosis. Note that these are not identical with the 10 signs discovered by Peirce. Again, we will return to these subjects in future posts. Here is the list of these 10 Stages of Semiosis:

1. Perceiving Grounding

2. Perceiving Presentation

3. Perceiving Representation

4. Perceiving Communication

5. Experiencing Presentation

6. Experiencing Representation

7. Experiencing Communication

8. Understanding Representation

9. Understanding Communication

10. Sharing Communication

Here is the same expressed in the diagram:

As with many other Peircean concepts, these periods have a very general meaning, which makes it difficult to quickly summarize them. So I beg your patience as I try to flesh these things out.

Next, I will give a quick general description of the periods and a contextual practical example. I will mark the phase and the stage of semiosis in following way: (phase [stage]).

Grounding period

Grounding is the ultimate foundation of semiosis. It is the starting point, where novelty flows into the semiosis through perceptual esthetical judgements (perception [1]). It can be thought as the “zero point”, from which the flow begins. The sign requires a “place” from which it can grow.

Presentation period

In this period signs present themselves as irritations causing the experience of alterity (perception [2]). The continuity of these irritations forms experienced regularities (experience [5]), which will develop into habits and systems that are guided by information.

Representation period

In this period the sign develops the ability to represent its object by internalizing information about it. Representation concerns the dyadic relation between the sign and its object. Representation may be sign’s forceful direction to its object (perception [3]), sign pointing to the general form of its object mediating information (experience [6]), or a general sign pointing to the general form of its object in some context (understanding [8]).

Communication period

In this period the sign, the object and the interpretant fuse into a triadic relation producing communicative effects. The communication ranges from mechanical transmission of information (perception [4]), to recognizing the particular meaning of some concrete sign (experience [7]), to comprehending the context-dependent general meaning of some sign (understanding [9]), to the sharing of symbolic meaning in the community (sharing [10]).

Communication must be understood as a comprehensive phenomenon. It includes among others physical, chemical, biological, psychological, linguistic, and sociological communication. Actually, Semiosis is communication. Therefore, our Universe can be thought as communication.

At the Market Place

As you walk in the market place you see a picture of a fish on a stall. This is a sign.

Grounding: Various esthetical qualities are grounded in space-time allowing you to perceive them (perception [1])

Presentation: Something other is present. Forceful qualities (perception [2]) and a recognized pattern, i.e. a sign (experience [5]).

Representation: This sign represents some object. Something forceful causing a perception, i.e. something existent is behind the perception so that it isn’t just a hallucination (perception [3]), this existent is a fish stall (experience [6]), which is a instance of a habit of demarcating fish stalls with a picture of a fish (understanding [8]).

Communication: The sign mediates the form of its object causing an effect called an interpretant. The unconscious focus on the object (perception [4]), the comprehension that there is stall selling fish over there (experience [7]), the general understanding that picture of a fish on a stall means a fish stall (understanding [9]), the symbolic characters called numbers sharing information about the prices of fish (sharing [10])

Summary

There is a lot to chew in this post, so please ask further questions in the comments. I’ll try to answer them to the best of my abilities.

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,
Markus