The notion of “downwards causation” is an old acquaintance in the humanities, for example in the notion of the hermeneutic circle, where textual parts and wholes mutually influence each other’s interpretation. The phenomenon of genres is chosen as a possible example of downwards causation (genre constraints). A computer model is constructed on the basis of genre theory and run under various con...

General abstract: Here we introduce biosemiotics as a field of research that develops models of life processes focusing on their informational aspects. Peirce’s general concept of semiosis can be used to analyze such processes, and provide a powerful basis for understanding the emergence of meaning in living systems, by contributing to the construction of a theory of biological information. Pei...

Peirce’s pragmatic notion of semiosis can be described in terms of a multi-level system of constraints involving chance, efficient, formal and final causation. According to the model proposed here, law-like regularities, which work as boundary conditions or organizational principles, have a downward effect on the spatiotemporal distribution of lower-level semiotic items. We treat this downward ...

General abstract: Here we introduce biosemiotics as a field of research that develops models of life processes focusing on their informational aspects. Peirce’s general concept of semiosis can be used to analyze such processes, and provide a powerful basis for understanding the emergence of meaning in living systems, by contributing to the construction of a theory of biological information. Pei...

This paper develops a semiotics of identity management in three parts. Part 1 (Identifying assumptions) is an introduction. It aims for an appreciation of how pervasive issues of identity really are. Philosophy, science and, not to forget, religion may indeed be viewed as attempts for coming to terms with identity. Part 2 (Identity in enneadic dynamics) presents the encompassing framework. An e...

Here, we present a semiotic model of signaling pathways in B-cells in order to substantiate the view that semiotic modeling is required for the referential aspect of signaling processes to be grasped. We discuss how a process of asymmetry-formation through membrane closing puts living systems under selection pressure to develop semiotic competence, and, thus, signaling becomes a key process in ...

The article explores the context important for analysis of Lotman’s talk at seminar on problem semiogenesis and functional specialization cerebral hemispheres as a model intellectual processes, which was held in Tartu. Forty years later, author anal­yses changes viewpoints proposed model, taking into account data experi­mental neuroscience. emphasizes fundamental value topicality Yuri ideas pro...