“Zoosemiotics beyond Sebeok” presented at 22nd Gathering in Biosemiotics in the Czech Republic

Today I have presented my paper “Zoosemiotics beyond Sebeok” in the first session of the 22nd International Gathering in Biosemiotics, which is held at Palacký University in Olomouc, the Czech Republic, June 27th - July 1st. Perhaps 60 people attended the talk. In addition, a dozen people or so followed the conference livestream on YouTube.

By now todays´ livestream has been seen by some 200 people.

Scheduled for oral presentations 27th and 28th of June at 22nd Gathering in biosemiotics in Olomouc

I have been scheduled to present my paper "Zoosemiotics beyond Sebeok" at the 22nd gathering in Biosemiotics (Olomouc, Czech Republic June 27-July 1st) on Monday June 27th at 10.40-11.00, at Palacky university.

Conference program and further info is available here. See also abstract book and the conference YouTube channel.

I am also co-author of Alexei Sharov´s presentation "Towards a theory of semiotic agency" (see pp. 111-112 in the abstract book), based on our book Semiotic agency: Science beyond mechanism, which will be held Tuesday June 28th at 11.00-11.20.

Paper "Zoosemiotics beyond Sebeok" accepted for presentation at 22nd gathering of biosemiotics

I have been notified by the conference organizers that my abstract "Zoosemiotics beyond Sebeok" has been accepted for oral presentation at the 22nd gathering in biosemiotics, which will be held in Olomouc, the Czech Republic, June 27th to July 1st.

CFP for 22nd International Gathering in Biosemiotics announced

The call for papers for the 22nd International Gathering in Biosemiotics, to be held at Palacký University in Olomouc, the Czech Republic June 27th - July 1st 2022, has been made. Abstracts are due February 28th 2022.

20th gathering in biosemiotics may be followed for free online

The 20th gathering in biosemiotics is held digitally Friday to Sunday this week (November 27-29th, at 1-6.30 p.m.). It can be watched live here. The conference programme is here.

See also: Talk at 20th Gathering in biosemiotics scheduled for live presentation on November 27th 

Talk at 20th Gathering in biosemiotics scheduled for live presentation on November 27th

My presentation «Introducing a Three-Dimensional Interactive Semiotic Model of Environmental Change» has been scheduled for oral, live presentation at the 20th gathering in biosemiotics (run from Palacký University, November 27-29th) on Friday 27th of November at 17.20–17.40. 

The all-digital conference program runs from 13 to 18.30 each of the three days.

To present at fully digital conference 20th Gathering in Biosemiotics

I have registered for the 20th Gathering in biosemiotics, which will be fully digital given the circumstances of the ongoing pandemic. At the conference I will present my paper "Introducing a Three-Dimensional Interactive Semiotic Model of Environmental Change".

20th gathering in biosemiotics: Paper accepted; abstract to appear in book

I have been notified that my paper "Introducing a three-dimensional interactive model of environmental change" has been accepted to oral presentation at the 20th gathering in biosemiotics (which is being postponed until November, cf. previous post). The notification also included information about a book that will appear in relation to the gathering (published by University of Tartu Press), where the abstract of my paper will be included.

20th gathering in biosemiotics postponed

Yesterday it was announced that the 20th gathering in biosemiotics, which was to be held in Olomouc, Czech republic, July 8-12th, has been postponed until November. No specific dates have been announced as of yet.

Abstract review for 20th gathering in biosemiotics done

I have recently reviewed ca. 17 abstracts as a member of the scientific committee for the 20th gathering in biosemiotics, to be held (hopefully) in Olomouc in July.

Abstract for 20th gathering in Biosemiotics (Olomouc): "Introducing a Three-Dimensional Interactive Semiotic Model of Environmental Change"

I have just submitted my paper abstract for the 20th gathering in biosemiotics, to be held in Olomouc, the Czech Republic, this July.

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"Introducing a Three-Dimensional Interactive Semiotic Model of Environmental Change"

In this paper I present a three-dimensional interactive semiotic model of environmental change which incorporates some elements from my previous work and introduces new, related elements. The paper draws directly on work from my recently published article “What can be known about future Umwelten?” (Tønnessen 2019).  

This model is interactive because it demonstrates the constant interplay between different forms of causation and signals. It is three-dimensional because it takes three dimensions of living nature into consideration (see Table 1 below; taken from Tønnessen 2019: 419), namely the Innenwelt, the Umwelt and the Umgebung of a creature endowed with an Umwelt (typically an animal, a human being or a microorganism) (von Uexküll 1921). By applying a subjective perspective focused on the inner world (Innenwelt) and outer world (Umwelt) of animals and humans, and the subjective worlds´ relation to relevant aspects of the physical environment (Umgebung), the model builds directly on von Uexküll´s Umwelt theory.

The organism relates to its physical environment in two fundamentally different ways, namely by way of signification and by way of efficient causation, and it is thus involved in both semiotic and physio-chemical processes, with the former being endosemiotic in the Innenwelt and exosemiotic in the Umwelt.

The complex interplay between the three dimensions of living nature is illustrated in Figure 3 below (taken from Tønnessen 2019: 420). The interplay between the various dimensions involve environmental signals (originating from the Umgebung) which triggers Umwelt signals (originating from the Umwelt) which triggers Innenwelt signals (originating from the Innenwelt) which in turn triggers action and thus semiotic causation, or in other words “the bringing about of changes [in the Umgebung] under the guidance of interpretation” (Hoffmeyer 2008: 149).     

The change from one interplay cycle to another can be understood as an Umwelt transition, and seen in context, several Umwelt transitions can be understood as constituting an Umwelt trajectory. Change from one interplay cycle to another also constitutes an Innenwelt transition, and seen in context, several Innenwelt transitions constitute an Innenwelt trajectory: i.e., the course through time taken by the Innenwelt of a creature as defined by its changing relation to itself and its own body.

As we see in this complex, dynamic model of environmental change, changes in, e.g., identity, experience, and the physical environment are interrelated, and change in one dimension can be triggered by changes in the other two dimensions. While the physical environment is constantly affected by living creatures (via semiotic causation), it also changes irrespective of the actions of Umwelt creatures—via efficient causation. This in turn affects environmental signals that again, in ever new cycles, trigger new Umwelt signals, which trigger new Innenwelt signals, which trigger new actions and thus new forms of semiotic causation, and so on.   

References 

Hoffmeyer, Jesper 2008. Semiotic Scaffolding of living systems. In Marcello Barbieri (ed.), Introduction to Biosemiotics: The New Biological Synthesis (Dordrecht: Springer), 149–166.  

Tønnessen, Morten 2019. What can be known about future Umwelten? The American Journal of Semiotics 35(3-4): 401–429. DOI: 10.5840/ajs202012359 

von Uexküll, Jakob 1921. Umwelt und Innenwelt der Tiere (2nd edition). Berlin: Verlag von Julius Springer.

20th gathering in biosemiotics to be held at Palacký university July 8-12th 2020

The call for papers for the 20th gathering in biosemiotics, to be held at Palacký university in Olomouc, Czech Republic July 8-12th 2020, has been released, see conference webpage. Abstract deadline is February 28th.