Ontogeny of early human Umwelt paper presented

My paper "The ontogeny of the embryonic, fetal and infant human Umwelt" was presented on the Eight Conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS) Thursday May 30th, at Aarhus university. It was eventually rescheduled (see program) to 15.15-15.45 (from 14.45-15.15). Some 30 people attended the biosemiotic sessions.

Link to NASS 8 abstract book

Here's a link to the abstract book of the Eight Conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies, "Sign evolution on multiple time scales". The abstract to my paper, "The ontogeny of the embryonic, fetal and infant human Umwelt", is to be found on page 43. 

Cognitive semiotics membership

I have become a member of the International Association for Cognitive Semiotics (IACS), which was founded May 29th in Aarhus, Denmark, during the Eight Conference of Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS).

Abstract for NASS VIII: "The ontogeny of the embryonic, fetal and infant human Umwelt"

Yesterday I wrote the abstract "The ontogeny of the embryonic, fetal and infant human Umwelt", which has been submitted to NASS VIII: Sign Evolution on Multiple Time Scales, to be held in Aarhus, Denmark, May 29-31. The abstract is tied to the proposed theme session "Biosemiotic Perspectives on Sign Evolution and Development", organised by Kalevi Kull, Timo Maran and Riin Magnus.

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Paper submission:

The ontogeny of the embryonic, fetal and infant human Umwelt

In this presentation I will outline the three first stages – namely the embryonic, fetal and infant stage – of the lifespan of our subspecies Homo sapiens sapiens in Umwelt terms. Umwelt transitions, defined as lasting, systematic changes within the life cycle of a being from one typical appearance of its Umwelt to another, will be identified. Comparison will be made with the general, shared Umwelt of mammals (Mammalia). This enables us to pinpoint some uniquely human developmental traits.

In terms of the tripartite Umwelt model, the presentation will cover the early development of the core Umwelt and the mediated Umwelt, and the emergence of a conceptual Umwelt. The designated phase of human development envelops the gradual emergence of various senses, the emergence and fine-tuning of Umwelt objects, early phases of human individuation, and early sociality.

Birth, an individuation event per se, arguably represents the most significant of all Umwelt transitions at the individual level. But by that point the more-than-human Umwelt gradually becoming human has already developed for some nine months. What is it like to be an embryo? What is it like to be a fetus? In the womb, the Umwelt of the embryo and later the fetus is intimately tied to that of the mother. Which, then, is the most useful term in this analysis – communication (between the two), or auto-communication (within the whole that is the pregnant woman)? At any rate the mother is the progeny’s first landscape – the mother’s body represents Earth, nature, as first perceived. Human sociality, furthermore, emerges gradually, starting in the fetal stage, perhaps when the voices from beyond our first landscape are first heard and engaged with. We start interacting with others long before we become aware of who we are.

Final CFP: NASS VIII (Aarhus May 2013): Sign evolution on multiple time scales

Final Call for Papers and Theme Sessions of the Eighth Conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS):

NB: Notice that we have extended the deadline for theme session proposals to Jan 31^st and we added another plenary speaker: Nicolas Fay (University of Western Australia)   

Sign evolution on multiple time scales

We hereby invite submission of abstracts for oral or poster presentations for the Eighth Conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS) to be held at the Center for Semiotics, Aarhus University, Denmark, May 29^th – 31^st, 2013.

The theme of this year’s conference is the evolution of signs, and will thus - among many others - address the following questions:

* What are the basic mechanisms and conditions for the emergence of new signs and sign systems (such as codes, notational systems, verbal and sign languages, gesture, graphical symbols, pictorial expression, etc.)?

* To which extent should we search for these mechanisms at the level of biology, culture, cognition, phenomenological experience or interaction?

* And what are the relevant features of signs themselves making them emerge, survive and propagate in contexts of communication?

The conference brings together international scholars from a range of disciplines each addressing these questions in relation to particular time scales ranging from biological and cultural evolution to ontogeny and online social interaction.

Presentations should address aspects of how signs and sign systems emerge and develop on different time scales. Topics include, but are not limited to:
* Sign emergence and development on an evolutionary time scale
* Sign emergence and development on a cultural, historical timescale
* Sign emergence and development on an ontogenetic time scale
* Sign emergence and development on an online interactive time scale
* Cultural perspectives on sign emergence and development
* Cognitive perspectives on sign emergence and development
* Dynamical systems perspectives on sign emergence and development
* Phenomenological perspectives on sign emergence and development
* Neurological perspectives on sign emergence and development
* Biological perspectives on sign emergence and development

Confirmed Plenary Speakers:

Luc Steels (ICREA Barcelona and Sony Computer Laboratory Paris)

Jordan Zlatev (Lund University)

Fatima Cvrckova – (Charles University, Prague)

Bruno Galantucci (Yeshiva University, NY)

Susan Goldin-Meadow (University of Chicago)

Winfried Nöth (University of Kassel)

Nicolas Fay (University of Western Australia)

Paper submissions:

Abstracts should be no more than 300 words and should be sent as an attachment to kristian@nordicsemiotics.org in doc, docx, ort or pdf format. Please do not include name or contact details in the text file. Specify in a cover mail your Title, Name, Affiliation, and whether the abstract is intended for oral or poster presentation. Please also indicate if your abstract should be considered part of a theme session (if you are taking part in organizing one) and if would be willing to present a poster if the abstract is not accepted for oral presentation. 

Deadline:  January 31

Theme Sessions proposals:

Proposals for thematic sessions should contain an abstract of no more than 300 words describing the theme. It should also specify the name and affiliation of the organizer(s) and a list of people that would potentially like their presentation to be part of the theme session (IMPORTANT: each participant should still submit her own individual paper abstract that will go through regular peer review). The theme session proposal should be send to kristian@nordicsemiotics.org as an attachment in doc, docx, ort or pdf format. Please specify in a cover mail the Title, Name(s) and Affiliation(s) of the theme session organizers and the title of the theme session proposal. Theme session organizer(s) may be contacted about the potential inclusion of additional papers from general submission if these seems to fit the proposed theme.  

Deadline: December 31/NB extended deadline: Jan 31st

Important Dates
* October 5: First Call for Papers and Theme Session Proposals
* December 1: Second Call for Papers and Theme Session Proposals
* New deadline: January 31: Deadline for theme session proposals
* January 31: Deadline for abstract submission
* March 15: Notification of acceptance
* April 1st: Registration opens
* May 29 – May 31: Conference

If you have any questions or comments related to the conference organization, please email Kristian Tylén: kristian@nordicsemiotics.org. The official conference website will soon be available following www.nordicsemiotics.org/VIII

Member of Scientific Committee of NASS 8

I have been appointed a member of the Scientific Committee of the Eighth Conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (NASS), which will be named Sign Evolution on Multiple Time Scales and is convened by Kristian Tylén. My responsibility will be limited to reviewing 6-8 abstracts. The conference will take place in Aarhus, Denmark, May 29th-31st 2013.