C. S. Peirce on the dynamic object of a sign: From ontology to semiotics and back

That reality, and in particular the (dynamic) objects of signs, are independent of our thoughts or other representations is a crucial thesis of Peirce’s realism. On the other hand, his semiotics implies the claim that all reality and all real objects are real for us only because of the signs we use....

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSign systems studies Vol. 43; no. 4; pp. 419 - 437
Main Author Pape, Helmut
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Tartu Ülikooli Kirjastus 01.01.2015
Tartu University Press
University of Tartu Press
Subjects
Contemporary Philosophy
dynamic object
interpretational sequences
Language and Literature
object unity
Peirce’s realism
Philosophy of Language
process ontology
Semiology
Semiotics
Semiotics / Semiology
transitivity
dynamic object
inferential structures
teridentity
contingent identity
logical causality
object unity
transitivity
process ontology
Peirce’s realism
collateral obse
interpretational sequences
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Summary:That reality, and in particular the (dynamic) objects of signs, are independent of our thoughts or other representations is a crucial thesis of Peirce’s realism. On the other hand, his semiotics implies the claim that all reality and all real objects are real for us only because of the signs we use. Do these two claims contradict, even exclude, eachother? I will argue that both Peirce’s metaphysics and his semiotics provide a natural via media: a structural account of the openness of processes, featuring transitive relations, connects process ontology implicit in his evolutionary metaphysics and the relational, quasi-inferential features embodied in interpretational sequences of signs. It is shown that Peirce’s notion of a sign, its normative role and his account of the directional force of objects implies a sort of logical causality that supports the unity of objects. In this way sign sequences are able to relate flexibly sign use with contextually specified independent objects. That is to say, relational properties of object-oriented chains of interpretations provide sign users with a flexible, fallibilistic instrument able to capture by contingent identity relations (teridentity) of the identity of objects in changing situations.
ISSN:1406-4243
1736-7409
DOI:10.12697/SSS.2015.43.4.03