Why Explicit Semiotic Grounding Is Essential to Biology as a Science? The Point of View of Biosemiotics

  • Elena Pagni Faculty of Sciences, Philosophy and Letters (FFCLRP), USP of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
Keywords: biosemiotics, evolution, self-organization

Abstract

A common approach in biosemiotics suggests that semiosis (any activity or process that involves signs) is a natural process embedded in evolution, which entails the production of meaningful processes. As Pattee has argued, a closer look at living systems shows that semiosis is closely related to a very specific and highly functional context of selected constraints. Symbolic control consists in 1) instituting a friction on the novelty, variability and randomness of life processes 2) allowing survival value at all levels of biological organization and 3) enabling self-organization. Then it would be the network of semiotic controls to actually playing a pivotal role in biological organization and evolution.

Published
2016-12-01
How to Cite
Pagni, E. (2016). Why Explicit Semiotic Grounding Is Essential to Biology as a Science? The Point of View of Biosemiotics. HUMANA.MENTE Journal of Philosophical Studies, 9(31), 57-72. Retrieved from https://www.humanamente.eu/index.php/HM/article/view/44