"Transcending signs" book published, updated reference for "Existential universals" chapter

According to information from the publisher, De Gruyter Mouton, the book Transcending Signs: Essays in Existential Semiotics has now been published, with my chapter on "Existential universals" included.

Updated reference: 

Tønnessen, Morten 2023. Existential universals: Biosemiosis and existential semiosis. Reprint of Tønnessen 2017 (Chinese Semiotic Studies 13(4): 381–398). In Eero Tarasti (ed.), Transcending Signs – Essays in Existential Semiotics (Semiotics, Communication and Cognition 35) pp. 327–342. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110789164-020

Updated reference for forthcoming reprint of "Existential universals" article

My article "Existential universals: Biosemiosis and existential semiosis", first published as (see also here):

Tønnessen, Morten (2017). Existential universals: Biosemiosis and existential semiosis. Chinese Semiotic Studies 13(4): 381–398. Published online November 16th 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/css-2017-0022.

will as mentioned earlier be reprinted in the anthology Transcending Signs (for which it was initially intended). Updated reference for the chapter to be reprinted:

Tønnessen, Morten, forthcoming. Existential universals: Biosemiosis and existential semiosis. To be reprinted in Eero Tarasti, Sayantan Dasgupta and Paul Forsell (eds.), Transcending Signs – Essays in Existential Semiotics. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. 

#16,5

Today I have had half an article writing day, and finished drafting my contributions for chapter 2 of Semiotic agency, "Historical Overview of Developments of the Notions of Agency". My contributions amount to close to 5.000 words, of which about 1.000 were written today.

"Uexküllian phenomenology and existential phenomena" presented at IHSRC in Molde

I have just presented "Uexküllian phenomenology and existential phenomena" at the International Human Sciences Research Conference at Molde University College, which this year has the theme "Joy, suffering and death - understanding contrasting existential phenomena in the lifespan". Some 15 people attended.

"Existential universals" revised

I have just carried out a small revision of my paper "Existential universals: Biosemiosis and existential semiosis", which will soon appear in Chinese Semiotic Studies.

"Existential universals" article reformatted etc.

I have just reformatted my article "Existential universals: Biosemiosis and existential semiosis", and added abstract and a bionote. The paper has been submitted to Chinese Semiotic Studies.

Eco-existentialist talk on animal death scheduled for presentation September 5th in Oslo

My paper "Øko-eksistensialisme og dyrs dødelighet: Et forsvar for et mer inkluderende begrep om dødelighet" [Eco-existentialism and the mortality of animals: A defence of a more inclusive notion of mortality] (see full abstract in Norwegian) has been scheduled for presentation at the 4th research seminar of Minding Animals Norway, which will take place on the Blindern campus of University of Oslo on Friday September 5th. My presentation will take place at 10.00-10.45.

The theme of the research seminar, which also features an hour of open discussion, is "Dyrene og døden" (Animals and death).

Panel discussion on nature view in Bergen

One week ago, last Wednesday, I participated in a panel discussion on the theme of "Naturforståelse og praksis" [Nature view [or nature understanding] and practice], along with Fern Wickson (UiT), Jon Hélen Pedersen (HiSF) and Sondre Båtstrand (UiB). The panel discussion, which lasted for 2 and a half hour and included extensive introductions by some of us, took place at the academic bookstore Studia in central Bergen. My introduction was called "Jeg, ulv: Eksistensens økologi" [I, wolf, The ecology of existence], and was first of all a presentation of my chapter in the English language anthology Environment, Embodiment and Gender, which was highlighted at the event. Wickson and Hélen Pedersen contribute to the same anthology. The panel discussion was organized by one of the editors of the anthology, Ane Faugstad Aarø (UiB) in practice and formally by UiB's research group on phenomenology and existentialism. There were about 20 people present all included.

Abstract: "Existential universals: A link between biosemiotics and existential semiotics"

Existential universals: A link between biosemiotics and existential semiotics

Morten Tønnessen

Abstract submitted for the symposium Nordic Semiotic Paradigms – NASS 25 Years: "Where do Cognitive, Bio- and Existential Semiotics Meet?"

Associate professor at Department of Health Studies, University of Stavanger

Researcher in the grant Dynamical Zoosemiotics and Animal Representations (Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu)

The ten steps to a semiotics of being detailed in Tønnessen 2010 (and said to be “pertinent to various sub-fields at the conjunction of semiotics of nature (biosemiotics, ecosemiotics, zoosemiotics) and semiotics of culture – semioethics and existential semiotics included”) start out with the following three points:

1) Semiotics of being entails inquiry at all levels of biological organization, albeit, wherever there are individuals, with emphasis on the living qua individuals (integrated biological individualism).

2) An Umwelt is the public aspect (cf. the Innenwelt, the private aspect) of a phenomenal/experienced world that is organism-specific (rather than species-specific) and ultimately refers to an existential realm.

3) Existential universals at work on Earth include seeking out the edible, dwelling in a medium, holding a phenomenal world (possibly an Umwelt) and being endowed with life, and followingly being mortal.

This paper will present the notion of existential universals, and sketch how these can be seen as a link between biosemiotics and existential semiotics. Though existential universals can be articulated and conceptualized in a variety of ways, and any chronological exposition may well be at least in part arbitrary, a list of such universal features of life will be presented. Not all semiosis is conceptualized as existential, i.e., by nature experientially related to the existence of a being. Consequently, not all ‘biosemiotic universals’ qualify as existential universals. All existential universals, however, are necessarily universals of biosemiosis.

What is it like to be a human being? (In other words: What is the human condition?). Before we can answer that question, we have to answer a more general question, the answer to which has foundational validity for the human question, namely: What is it like to be a living being? In this paper I will allude to sixteen answers to that question.

Reference

Tønnessen, Morten 2010. Steps to a semiotics of being. Biosemiotics 3.3: 375-392.

Zapffe; tick attack on Larry David: Links to excerpts from "Semiotics of being and Uexküllian phenomenology"

I have published excerpts from "Semiotics of being and Uexküllian phenomenology" in two Norwegian blogs of mine: Utopisk Realisme, my political blog (on Norwegian existentialist Peter Wessel Zappfe's use of Uexküll), and Kardemomme Tidende, my comical blog (on the distinction between semiosis and phenomena, illustrated by a tick attack on Larry David).

See also:
"Semiotics of being and Uexküllian phenomenology" published: Reference; abstract

Phenomenology research group confirmed

One of the looser affiliations I have in my academic work is one as a member of sorts of the research group for phenomenology and existentialism at the University of Bergen (forskningsgruppe for fenomenologi og eksistensfilosofi). The University of Bergen's Department of Philosophy has just evaluated all existing research groups, and confirmed the continued existence of the abovementioned research group - as well as the other four existing research groups. In addition, five new research groups have been established, including one in environmental philosophy. All research groups will be evaluated in a year's time, and will have to meet a number of criteria, including having an (inter)national network, having ongoing activities, and publishing academic work.

It is not clear whether I count as a regular member of the group, or rather as an associated contact.