Final program of MAC3

Here is a link to the final programme of the recently held Minding Animals Conference 3 (Delhi, India, January 13-20th).

The Semiotics of Animal Representations on display at MAC3 in Delhi

The Semiotics of Animal Representations (Rodopi 2014, eds. Kari Tüür and myself) was on display at Minding Animals Conference 3 (Delhi, India, January 13-20th), at the booth of the organiser Wildlife Trust of India, along with discount flyers prepared for the occasion of the conference.

Talk "What is animal agency?" given at MAC3 (JNU, Delhi)

On Thursday 15th of January I presented my paper "What is animal agency?" at Minding Animals Conference 3, in Delhi, India. The presentation was part of the session "Thinking about animals", moderated by Jeff Sebo. Some 50-60 people were present.

Talk on mentions of animals in political party programs given in Delhi

Today I presented "Mentions of animals in Norwegian political party programs" at Minding Animals Conference 3, in Delhi, India. The presentation was given in the session "Animal law and public policy", moderated by Jagdish Kishwan. Some 15 people were present.

MAI board meeting attended; reappointed Europe and Africa Convenor, appointed Tool Kit Editor

Today I attended the board meeting of Minding Animals International (as a non-voting ex-oficio member), which took place at United Service Institution in Delhi, India. In addition to being the Chair of Minding Animals Norway, I am the Minding Animals International Europe and Africa National Groups Convener. 

At the meeting I was reappointed in the latter role, and appointed Minding Animals Tool Kit Editor. The MA Tool Kit, previously work titled "Activist Kit", will appear as a subpage under the webpage of Minding Animals International.

Interfaith service at Lotus temple, icebreaker dinner at JNU Convention Centre attended

Today I have attended the pre-inaugural interfaith service in relation to the Minding Animals Conference 3 (14-20 January 2015), in Delhi, India. The interfaith service took place at the Bahá´í Lotus temple.

I have also attended the conference icebreaker dinner at Jawaharlal Nehru University Convention Centre.

Indian visa received

Today I received my visa, and got my passport back, in anticipation of the upcoming conference Minding Animals Conference 3, to be held in Delhi, India, January 14-20.

Minding Animals Activist Kit - background document composed

About a week ago I composed a 2-page background document on a Minding Animals International (MAI) Activist Kit which I have initiated. The document will be treated by the Board of MAI at their January 17th board meeting in Delhi, India. If everything goes according to proposed plans, the Activist Kit will materialise next year.

I have taken this initiative in my capacity as MAI Europe and Africa National Groups Convenor (and Chair of Minding Animals Norway).

"What is animal agency?" accepted for oral presentation at MAC3, Delhi

I have just been informed by the MAC3 (Minding Animals Conference 3) 2015 Secretariat, that MAC3's Programme Committee has selected my abstract "What is animal agency?" for oral presentation. Minding Animals Conference 3 will be held in Delhi, India, January 13th-20th 2015, and is arranged by Minding Animals International and hosted by the Wildlife Trust of India in collaboration with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

"Mentions of animals in Norwegian political party programs" accepted for oral presentation at MAC3, Delhi

I have just been informed by the MAC3 (Minding Animals Conference 3) 2015 Secretariat, that MAC3's Programme Committee has selected my abstract "Mentions of animals in Norwegian political party programs" for oral presentation. Minding Animals Conference 3 will be held in Delhi, India, January 13th-20th 2015, and is arranged by Minding Animals International and hosted by the Wildlife Trust of India in collaboration with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

Minding Animals 3 deadline now September 30th

The deadline for Minding Animals Conference 3, to be held in Delhi, India, January 13-20th 2015, has been extended for a second time, to September 30th.

Extended abstract deadline for Minding Animals 3 (Delhi 2015)

The deadline for abstract submission to the third conference of Minding Animals International (MAI), to be held in Delhi, India, January 2015, has been extended from August 15th to September 19th - see announcement.

Reference to semiotic causation/Steps to a semiotics of being in paper by Prakash Mondal

My 2010 article "Steps to a semiotics of being" (Biosemiotics 3.3: 375-392) is cited/mentioned in Prakash Mondal's Biosemiotics article "Does Computation Reveal Machine Cognition?". Reference:

Mondal, Prakash 2013. Does Computation Reveal Machine Cognition? Biosemiotics (published online September 1st 2013; DOI 10.1007/s12304-013-9179-3).

Excerpt (p. 8):

Semiotic causation, which consists in bringing about effects through interpretation (Hoffmeyer 2007), is also a part of human cognitive processes. In fact, Tønnessen (2010) thinks that semiotic causation, in addition to four Aristotelian causes: material, formal, effective and final causes, is necessary for all life processes.

Here's the paragraph in Steps that Mondal refers to (p. 378):

In the article published in English as “The new concept of Umwelt: A link between science and the humanities,” Jakob von Uexküll (2001: 114) addressed the existence of a perceptually oriented pre-modern science: “There have been times when the goal of scientific endeavor was to study the perceptual side of things. [...] Kepler was looking for a design—Newton was looking for a cause for the same phenomenon.” Here, a ‘cause’ is taken to represent only one of Aristotle’s four categories (only the efficient cause, related to motion), which is typical of modern understanding. Perhaps we need to develop a concept of semiotic causation—perhaps such a notion is what we biosemioticians have been, and are still searching for.

 Mondal is based at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi.