Representing Biosemiotics at journals fair in Kaunas

Two days ago, on Wednesday afternoon, at the 13th world congress of semiotics (Kaunas June 26-30th), I participated in the semiotic journals fair, along with fellow co-editors of Biosemiotics Alexei Sharov and Timo Maran.

"Uexküllian phenomenology" presented in Kaunas

Yesterday, at the 13th world congress of semiotics (Kaunas June 26-30th), I presented my paper "Uexküllian phenomenology" in the morning session of "Biosemiotics in dialogue". Some 15 people were present.

Another biosemiotics session chaired in Kaunas

Yesterday, at the 13th world congress of semiotics (Kaunas June 26-30th), I chaired the afternoon session "Biosemiotics in dialogue". Some 35 people were present.

"Biosemiotics in dialogue" session chaired in Kaunas

Earlier today I chaired a brief session in the segment "Biosemiotics in dialogue" during the ongoing 13th world congress of semiotics in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Report from GroupHouseNet stakeholder workshop

Here is a brief report from the stakeholder workshop I co-organised in Skopje, Macedonia, in early June as part of the COST action GroupHouseNet.

Board meeting - MAN

I have just chaired a board meeting of Minding Animals Norway, via Skype.

Two sessions at NASS X chaired

Today I have chaired two session at the 10th conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies, which started today, at 11.00-12.30 and 16.00-17.00 respectively.

"Urban animals" special issue available via Academia.edu

Lo Squaderno no. 42, "Urban animals", has been uploaded to Academia.edu, includes my article "Urban corvids: A bird´s-eye view of towns and cities".

"Umwelt theory revisited" presentation at NASS X scheduled for June 30th

My presentation "Umwelt theory revisited - contemporary Uexküllian thought in 10 points" has been scheduled for presentation at the 10th conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (Kaunas, Lithuania June 26th to 30th) on Friday June 29th at 9.00-9.30.

Uexküllian phenomenology presentation scheduled for June 29th

My presentation "Uexküllian phenomenology" has been scheduled for presentation at the 13th World Congress of Semiotics (Kaunas, Lithuania June 26th to 30th), in the session "Biosemiotics in dialogue", on Thursday June 29th at 9.00-9.30.

To take part in two panels at MAC4, Mexico City

I will take part in a panel on "Animals and philosophy", and another on "Animals, history and ethology" during Minding Animals Conference 4, which is to be held in Mexico City January 17-24th 2018.

EMP151 field work summary composed and distributed

I have earlier this Spring composed a 7 pp. popular science summary of field work conducted in Norway Spring 2015 as part of the research project "Animals in changing environments: Cultural mediation and semiotic analysis". Today I distributed it via email to interviewees. The video-recorded interviews were about wolves and related animals.

Four bachelor theses graded

I have finished grading four bachelor theses in social work, as the internal examiner.

Record-high Impact Factor for Biosemiotics

The Impact Factor for Biosemiotics for 2016 has been released - a record high 0.964.

Panel participation at MAC4?

I have signalled interest in taking part in three panels at Minding Animals Conference 4, to take place in Mexico City next January, particularly "Ecophilosophy".

Working lunch

Today I attended a working lunch with some of the teachers in "Welfare state and welfare policy" where we evaluated this Spring´s course.

"Wolf land" cited in Hiedenpää & Pellikka

My article

Tønnessen, Morten 2010. Wolf Land. Biosemiotics 3.3: 289–297 (online version, published April 23, 2010: DOI: 10.1007/s12304-010-9077-x).

is cited in

Hiedanpää, Juha & Jani Pellikka 2017. Preadaptative Transactions and Institutional Change: Wolf-critical activism in southwestern Finland [2010e]. Environmental Policy and Governance 27: 270-281. DOI: 10.1002/eet.1754.

Excerpt (p. 277):

A marriage and a one dollar note are typical examples that Searle uses to illustrate a status function. The wolf-critical civil society has actively claimed that the wolf should not have such a position, since it lacks some essential biological properties and definitely lacks the collective and institutional properties that would constitute its status function. The wolf’s status must not be symbolized (for wolf semiotics, see Tønnessen, 2010). Instead, the wolf must be considered according to its actual physical and mental effects and not according to some agreed upon abstract properties, e.g. it being endangered, since there are tens of thousands of wolves in Russia.

Proposed by Ministry as member of the Norwegian Council of Animal Ethics

I have been proposed by Norway´s Ministry of agriculture and food as member of the Norwegian Council of Animal Ethics (Rådet for dyreetikk), as representative for animal protection organisations, specifically Dyrevernalliansen and Dyrebeskyttelsen, for the rest of the period 2016-2018. I have confirmed my willingness to be appointed, and the animal protection NGOs have confirmed their support of the prospective appointment.

Session chaired at NoSP2017

Today I have chaired the session 2D "Perspectives on the body: Nietzsche, Heidegger, Jonas, Merleau-Ponty" at the 15th Annual Conference of the Nordic Society for Phenomenology (NoSP), held at NTNU, Trondheim, Norway. The session included papers by Sigurd Hverven, Alexandru Bejinariu, Ullrich M. Haase and Solveig Bøe.

Paper presented at NoSP2017, NTNU

Today I have presented my paper "The Search Image as Link Between Sensation, Perception and Action" at the 15th Annual Conference of the Nordic Society for Phenomenology (NoSP), held at NTNU, Trondheim, Norway. My presentation was part of the session 3B "Phenomenology and Cognitive Science", chaired by Tarjei Mandt Larsen. Some 10-15 people were present.

Student evaluation - results

I have earlier composed questions for student evaluation of the course "Welfare state and welfare policy", and today I received the results, which I have shared with other teachers in the course. Most feedback was mildly positive, though there were also some critical remarks.

10th newsletter of NASS finished; call for GA in Kaunas

I have just taken part in finishing the 10th newsletter of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies, along with Inesa Sahakyan. The issue includes a call for the NASS general assembly, to take place June 30th in Kaunas, Lithuania.

EU forum

Today I have attended the first EU forum meeting, held by the research department of University of Stavanger.

In committee preparing research seminar in Havanna

I am part of a small committee at University of Stavanger´s Department of social studies that is preparing a research seminar at Universidade de Havanna, Cuba, to take place late January 2018, with welfare research as theme and organized in cooperation with international collaborators.

Two meetings

Today I have attended two meetings, one on organization of the 2017 Norwegian Animal Ethics conference (via Skype and phone), the other one on a forthcoming guest-lecture at University of Stavanger that I am co-organising.

NASS: Possibly running for president; UiS candidate venue for NASS XI

I have just signalled interest, to the board, in being nominated as President of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS) ahead of its General Assembly in late June in Kaunas during NASS X, and launched the University of Stavanger as a possible venue for NASS XI in 2019.

Work group meetings in Macedonia

Today I have attended parts of the work group meetings of GroupHouseNet in Skopje, Macedonia. Soon the meeting will be closing.

Minutes on tail biting written

I have just written minutes for the group work yesterday, for one of the three groups at the GroupHouseNet stakeholder workshop in Skopje, Macedonia, focused on avoiding tail docking and reducing tail biting in pigs (3pp).

Vote

I have just voted in the election at University of Stavanger of scientific staff members of the board of the new Faculty of Social Science.

Secretary for GroupHouseNet stakeholder group work

Today I have acted as secretary for one of the three groups at the GroupHouseNet stakeholder workshop in Skopje, Macedonia. Our topic was how to avoid tail docking and tail biting in pigs.

Skopje

I have arrived in Skopje, Macedonia. And attended an informal dinner with some of the participants at the stakeholder workshop that will take place tomorrow. A lovely atmosphere.

Thinking... book available on Hawaii

Our book Thinking about animals in the age of the Anthropocene is now available at the Hawaii State Public Library System.

Visa for Turkey

I have just applied for, and received a visa for Turkey, in connection with my participation at a GroupHouseNet COST event over two days this week in Skopje, Macedonia. I will be returning to Norway via Istanbul, with a night there.

Pictures from På Kanten, the Norwegian philosophy festival

These are pictures from På Kanten, the Norwegian philosophy festival, late May.

From the improvisation "philosophy sport".

From my conversation with fellow philosopher Ole Martin Moen on the suffering of wild animals. According to the organizers, this was the one event that engaged the audience the most.

Compulsory readings reported

I have just reported compulsory readings in the three courses I am responsible for this autumn to our academic book store.

Norwegian Animal Ethics Conference to be held November 21st

Today I have attended a meeting at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute in Oslo, in preparation of the Norwegian Animal Ethics Conference 2017. The conference will take place November 21st, with a wolf theme.

Special issue on biosemiotic ethics - online presentation, email mention

Our special issue of Zeitschrift für Semiotik on biosemiotic ethics is given mention in the holiday greetings email of the publisher, Staufenburg Verlag, with the Table of contents reiterated etc.

Citation:

Mit dem Themenbereich Biosemiotische Ethik / Biosemiotic Ethics beschäftigt sich das neu erschienene Heft der Zeitschrift für Semiotik. Die zahlreichen – zum ersten Mal in der Geschichte der Zeitschrift deutsch- und englischsprachigen – Beiträge geben einen ausführlichen Einblick in den aktuellen Stand des Forschungsfeldes.

Philosophy business not profitable in 2016

Yesterday I compiled the financial report for my business company "Spør filosofen" (Ask the philosopher). Partly due to technicalities, 2016 did not end up with any profits, since a couple of tasks carried out were paid as ordinary salary rather than to my company. Revenues remain low.