Abstract for "Neurosemiotics across species" chapter

I have just composed this book chapter abstract.

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Neurosemiotics across species

By Morten Tønnessen

ABSTRACT

Behavioral neuroscience arguably comes with two contrasting pitfalls, which we can associate with anthropocentrism and anthropomorphism respectively. In the first instance, we neglect or misunderstand traits of non-human neurobiology because we mistakenly believe that such traits are uniquely human. In the second instance, we mistakenly attribute neurobiological traits found in humans to non-humans. To avoid both these pitfalls, we need to be clear on the actual characteristics of neurobiology across species. This will shed light on questions such as: How different are humans from non-humans in the context of neurosemiotics? What do we have in common with some other animals, and what is uniquely human? In this chapter, I build mainly on the neurosemiotics implicit in the Umwelt theory of Jakob von Uexküll (1864–1944) and contemporary interpretations thereof. Uexküll´s pioneering thinking on neurosemiotics has influenced classical ethology as well as contemporary biosemiotics, code biology and cognitive semiotics, and shares some perspectives with cognitive ethology and comparative psychology. His neurosemiotic constructs include Merkzeichen and Wirkzeichen, Wirkwelt and Merkwelt, Umwelt and Innenwelt. The treatment will include a discussion about objecthood in perception and different organisms´ capacity for relating to objects. A distinction between proper subjects (i.e., organisms capable of having coherent experience) and quasi-subjects (i.e., organisms that have some sort of experience which is, however, disorganized or scattered) will be made. I also investigate the nature of the neural code(s) from the standpoints of biosemiotics and code biology, and provide an Uexküllian perspective on neural codes by framing neural codes in terms of Umwelt theory. In conclusion, the chapter further includes a biosemiotic perspective on certain methodological issues in neurobiology.

Photos from 6th code biology conference

The photos below are taken from Flickr and the code biology website. All photos are from the 6th international conference in code biology, which was held June 3-5th in Friedrichsdorf, Germany.

Second day at Code Biology VI

On Wednesday this week, June 5th, I attended the second day of the 6th international conference, in Friedrichsdorf, Germany. This included half a day with presentations, an excursion to Saalburg (an ancient Roman settlement), and conference dinner.

Search image paper presented at Code Biology VI, Friedrichsdorf

Today, at the first day of the Sixth International Conference in Code Biology, held in Friedrichsdorf, Germany under the auspices of the Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, I presented my paper "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action". Some 30 people attended.

Search image paper scheduled for presentation in Friedrichsdorf June 4th

My presentation "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action" has been scheduled for presentation at the 6th International Conference in Code Biology, to be held in Friedrichsdorf, Germany, on Tuesday June 4th at 18.00-18.30.

See also abstract book.

To present search image paper on Code Biology 6

I have been notified by the organizers that my paper "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action" has been accepted for oral presentation at the 6th conference of the International Society for Code Biology (ISCB), to be held in Friedrichsdorf, Germany, June 4th to 6th of June. 

Abstract for 6th code biology conference

I have submitted an abstract to the 6th code biology conference, to be held in Germany in June. The abstract is based on my published article "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action".

Search image article published in paginated version; final reference

My article on Jakob von Uexküll´s "search image" notion has been paginated and published in its final version (it was published online last autumn). The article, which is part of a special issue on code biology, is for a limited time freely available online. 

Final reference:

Tønnessen, Morten 2017 (online) / 2018 (print). The search image as a link between sensation, perception and action. BioSystems 164 (special issue on Code Biology edited by Marcello Barbieri and Jan-Hendrik Hofmeyr): 138–146. Published online November 4th 2017. DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2017.10.016.

Search image paper proof-read

I have just proof-read my article "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action", to appear in BioSystems as part of a special issue on code biology.

Search image paper already available online

My article "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action" has now been published online in a pre-proof version.

Reference:

Tønnessen, Morten 2017. The search image as link between sensation, perception and action. DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2017.10.016. First available online November 4th 2017.

Search image article accepted for publication in BioSystems

I have been notified that my article "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action" has been accepted for publication in BioSystems´ special issue in code biology.

In the round of revisions, I made this figure illustrating the workings of search images, on request by a peer-reviewer:

Search image article revised

Yesterday I finished revising my article "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action", submitted to BioSystems for a special issue on code biology.

Code biology conference 2018 - Granada

The Fifth International Conference in Code Biology will take place in Granada, Spain, June 5-9th 2018. Abstract deadline is January 15th.

Search image paper to be revised

My paper for a special issue of BioSystems on code biology "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action" has been positively reviewed, and is now pending revision.

Search image article finished

On July 9th, the night before July 10th, I finished my article "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action", submitted for a special issue of BioSystems on code biology.

Search image paper to appear in BioSystems

My paper in process "The search image as a link between sensation, perception and action" is part of a planned special issue on code biology. It is now clear that the special issue will appear in the Elsevier journal BioSystems. A call for papers has just been announced.

See also:

Search image paper to appear in special issue on code biology

Search image paper to appear in special issue on code biology

My paper in process "The search image as a link between sensation, perception and action" is partaking in plans for a special issue on code biology. A special issue proposal submitted to Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B (Biological Sciences) was turned down, following quite positive peer reviews but lacklustre editorial feedback. However, Biological Theory now plans to publish the special issue.

Abstract for article: "The search image as link between sensation, perception and action"

On September 30th I finished the abstract below, which is for a forthcoming article.

The search image as link between sensation, perception and action

Abstract

Morten Tønnessen 

As part of his Umwelt theory, a theory on the subjective, experiential worlds of animals, Jakob von Uexküll (1864–1944) introduced the notion of the search image (Suchbild). A search image is an imagined object that an animal or human being has in mind as it searches for something. The search image plays a central role in what I have termed the mediated Umwelt, the aspect of Umwelt in which Umwelt objects are encountered indirectly by way of some mediation (e.g. memory, fantasy, anticipation). It is generally related to an animal´s agenda- or interest-driven matching of something it is searching for with something in its environment. Animals need search images in order to navigate in their environment, in order to pursue some of their biological needs, and in order to direct attention to their immediate or prioritised needs. They are also key to understanding how perception works as distinguished from sensation, and how an animal´s perception and action are connected. Generally, Umwelt codes – codes that are required to perform the functions of perception and action – include neural codes and ecological codes (and cultural codes as well in the case of human beings). The search image acts as an intermediary between perception and action, and between the mediated Umwelt and the core Umwelt, the aspect of Umwelt in which Umwelt objects are encountered directly. In consequence, we can assume that neural codes and ecological codes coalesce in the functioning of the search image. The imagined object has the form of a schema, and encountered objects may or may not be perceived as fitting with the anticipated schema. The perception of a match may furthermore be either correct or incorrect. Object recognition occurs when an encountered object is correctly perceived as fitting with an anticipated schema. But search images, with their implied schemata, may also be confused with actual perception images of encountered objects. Perception is not an entirely accurate endeavour. Nevertheless, the search image is an indispensable instrument in the perceptual tool box of any animal with a saturated Umwelt. In addition to contributing to a proper understanding of how sensation, perception and action are linked, studies into the phenomenon of search images can shed light on some present puzzles in cognitive science. As an example, contemporary science posits that underlying, action-related brain activity by far precedes our subjective experience of choosing to act in a certain way. This has even been taken to imply that human beings do not in fact have free will. In some of these cases, however, the functioning of search images can help explain why it is that action-related brain activity appears to precede the experience of having made a choice of action. In short, when an animal or a human being operates with a search image, we anticipate encountering the imagined object. Accordingly, we act not only in response to encountered objects, but also in response to imagined ones. And whenever an encountered object is in hindsight correctly perceived to be a match to an imagined object, we may have acted in response to that anticipated object before we could confirmatively perceive it as a match to our search image.

Photos from Urbino conference

A photo gallery from the third code biology conference (held in Urbino in May) is now online. Excerpt below.

4th code biology conference to be held in Köszeg

At the third International Conference in Code Biology, recently held in Urbino, in Italy, it was decided that the 4th International Conference in Code Biology will be held 24-26 May 2017 in Köszeg, Hungary.