In this post, I’ll outline the fundamental logical structure of Semiosis, focusing on the Four Phases and the Four Periods. My primary aim is to illustrate the interconnectedness between the phases and periods. Subsequent posts will delve deeper into the specific meanings of these concepts. However, in order to do that, it's essential to first grasp this foundational logic. Let's get started.
The concept of habit takes center stage in this post. If you haven’t read my earlier post on habit formation, I highly recommend doing so. Both the earlier and this post delve into the same subject, but this one offers a more detailed perspective. While the earlier post focused solely on the Four Phases, this one encompasses both the Four Phases and the Four Periods.
As mentioned earlier, periods can be linked to phases through habit formation. Namely, during each phase a habit is forming in a certain period. This can be conceptualized as fluctuations or pulsations within the given period. Consequently, a pulse, or the formation of a habit, within a specific period corresponds to a particular phase in the following manner.
When the pulse is in the Grounding period, the semiosis is in the phase of Perceiving. Aesthetic qualities are brought together by perceptual judgments, which are foundational abductions or hypotheses about the perceived qualitative continuum. These perceptive abductions form the ground of our whole experience. We infer what we perceive. Or more correctly, what we perceive is our inferences.
When a habit is formed in the Grounding period, the pulse moves to the Presentation period, and semiosis moves to the phase of Experiencing. The qualities have been synthesized into patterns and forms that enable the mediation of information from the object through the sign to the interpretant. More simply put, the things perceived are stable and familiar. They mean something. Now signs are present to be inquired in our experience.
When a habit is formed in the Presentation period, the pulse moves to the Representation period, and semiosis moves to the phase of Understanding. The sign has become habitual and general. It is a habit guiding and governing its instances in the world. It is a guiding force of some type (the habit of lifting a hand up to greet somebody). The sign grows now in meaning through these instantiations in a community.
When a habit is formed in the Representation period, the pulse moves to the Communication period, and semiosis moves to the phase of Sharing. The sign detaches itself from the concrete dynamical relations that connect it to the world becoming a symbol. This allows discourse and language — sharing of information in the "symbolic realm”. Talking about things that are not existentially (“materially”) present.
Diagrammatic representation
We can see this same process from the diagram above. The blue squares represent habits in the periods. In the phase of Experiencing habit has formed in the Grounding period. In the phase of Understanding habits are formed both in the Grounding and Presentation periods. Lastly in the phase of Sharing habits are formed in the Grounding, Presentation and Representation periods.
The Solenoid of Semiosis
But why there is no stage between the stage 4 and 5 (the bottom blue square on the left)? Why there are 10 stages and not 16 stages (4x4=16)?
Now I truly hope this isn’t too confusing. We must introduce a new Diagram called The Solenoid of Semiosis:
NOTE! THIS IS NOT THE SAME DIAGRAM AS THE FOUR PHASES! It looks very similar, but let me explain the difference and how these relate to one another.
The diagram of the Four Phases presents the Semiosis as a whole. It illustrates the entire developmental trajectory of Semiosis, encompassing everything from the initial perceptual abductions to the fully developed universal symbols. It is the bird’s-eye view of Semiosis. The diagram above with the squares is an expansion of the original diagram of the Four Phases, revealing the more intricate structure of Semiosis in its entirety.
The solenoid, on the other hand, represents the structure of the Sign. The solenoid is always located in some phase. Always positioned within a specific phase, it serves as a snapshot—an abstraction—of the sign in the midst of its development within Semiosis.1
Analogously, consider the periodic table of elements and depictions of specific atoms. The complete periodic table displays all the elements composing matter, akin to the bird's-eye view seen in the Four Phases or the diagram with the 10 squares, encompassing all of the stages.
The depiction of certain atoms, in turn, provides us with a more precise understanding of specific elements. While the fundamental structure remains unchanged (electrons, neutrons, protons), the quantities differ. Similarly, the solenoid offers a more precise picture into the sign during a particular period. The foundational structure remains the same (the Four Periods), yet the “content” of these periods can vary (such as habits or the three categories, as you will discover in upcoming posts).
Here is a combined diagram:
This is basically the same diagram as the diagram with the squares. But now the Solenoid is explicit in the diagram. This combination diagram could be seen as a preliminary explanation why there aren’t 16 stages of semiosis. The first stage of the Experiencing phase already has a habit formed in the Grounding period. Thus the Grounding period runs “silently” or “on autopilot”, and for this reason semiotic development can occur only in the remaining periods of Presentation, Representation, and Communication.
Further breakdown
What is then meant by semiotic development? What are then the stages 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9? There are namely only four solenoids, that is, four stages in the combination diagram above. What about the the remaining solenoids?
All of the stages can be represented by particular solenoids:
The red star symbolizes the pulse of habit formation. In the Perceiving phase the pulse is in the Grounding period. The other stages (2, 3, and 4) represent movement in the solenoid. This movement always returns back to the period with the pulse. The movement forms thus a feedback-loop. In the Perceiving phase the movement returns all the way back to the Grounding period. This is semiotic development that seeks to form a habit to the period with the pulse. Therefore…
In the Perceiving phase…
the periods of:
Grounding (perception of aesthetic qualities in space-time)
Presentation (perception of alterity or otherness)
Representation (perception of some dynamic forceful existence “behind” the perception)
Communication (unconscious perceptual recognition of that existence)
— turning to face the source of some unknown sound
feed back to the Grounding period in order to form a coherent Grounding (habit in the Grounding period), that would enable the mediation of information and further inquiry. In short, we form an uncontrolled perceptual hypothesis (perceptual judgement) of the thing in front of us.
In the Experiencing phase…
the before mentioned grounding is formed, meaning that there is a habit governing the Grounding period. This is symbolized as the blue feedback-loop. The Grounding period runs now automatically and silently. We perceive something coherent that can be further inquired. This habitual feedback-loop forms the foundation for the pulse to rise to the next period of Presentation. In this phase the periods of:
Presentation (experience of form or pattern)
— coherent soundRepresentation (experience of the information in that pattern)
— this familiar sound is referees whistleCommunication (experience of the communicated meaning of that pattern)
— this referees whistle means that I should stop playing
feed back to the Presentation Period forming a habitual presentation or instantiation of some sign. In short, we recognize something familiar here and now through an abduction or hypothesis: “This sounds is likely a referees whistle, because the sound embodies certain qualitative forms similar to the referees whistle. And if it is a referees whistle, it means that I should stop playing.”
In the Understanding phase…
a habitual presentation is formed, meaning that there is a habit in the Presentation period, and the blue loop encompasses now both the Grounding and the Presentation periods. This is the new foundation for the pulse in the Representation period, where the periods of:
Representation (understanding a contextual rule/habit)
— referees whistle in the context of a football match stops the matchCommunication (understanding the communicated meaning of rule/habit)
— referees whistle in the context of a football match signifies that the game should be stopped. As a guiding force the whistle has the power to stop matches.
feed back to the Representation period forming a habit of representation. In short, we participate with habits guiding our behavior. And lastly,
In the Sharing phase…
a habitual representation is formed, i.e. habit in the Representation period, producing a symbol. A symbol is a habitual representation — a word for instance. The blue loop grows accordingly, and now the period of:
Communication (sharing symbolic information in a community)
— discourse, talking about the match after the game
feeds back to the period of Communication. When a habit is formed in the communication period we have habitual communication (small talk, military communication). But to see this in the diagram we need the 15 signs, which will take a while.
Last Diagram
Now we can combine all of the information above to a single diagram.
Here is a summary of the 10 stages:
Stage — Perceiving Grounding
Pulse: Grounding
Feedback-loop: Grounding
Stage — Perceiving Presentation
Pulse: Grounding
Feedback-loop: Grounding → Presentation
Stage — Perceiving Representation
Pulse: Grounding
Feedback-loop: Grounding → Presentation → Representation
Stage — Perceiving Communication
Pulse: Grounding
Feedback-loop: Grounding → Presentation → Representation → Communication
Stage — Experiencing Presentation
Pulse: Presentation
Feedback-loop: Presentation
Stage — Experiencing Representation
Pulse: Presentation
Feedback-loop: Presentation → Representation
Stage — Experiencing Communication
Pulse: Presentation
Feedback-loop: Presentation → Representation → Communication
Stage — Understanding Representation
Pulse: Representation
Feedback-loop: Representation
Stage — Understanding Communication
Pulse: Representation
Feedback-loop: Representation → Communication
Stage — Sharing Communication
Pulse: Communication
Feedback-loop: Communication
The logic here is straightforward, but the real challenge lies in its application—a task we'll start addressing in the next post. If you have any questions or comments, I'll be more than happy to answer them.
Thank for reading!
Sincerely,
Markus
The solenoid is the structure that fills up with the 3 categories producing the various signs. Each period can be filled with either 1stness, 2ndness or 3rdness producing the 15 signs. I’ll return to this in future posts.