semiotics/post-structuralism

epistemology:

  • primary qualities

    • solidity

    • firmness

    • etc

  • secondary qualities (subjective):

    • sound

    • taste

    • other senses

    • evolutionarily curated brain response

/

  • perception is relative

    • ∴there are ways in which communication can become erroneous

  • how effectively can we communicate reality?

history:

  • ferdinande de saussure

  • langue = any system of communication that involves into a recognisable language

    • implied meanings

    • body language

  • breaks down langue into signs

    • sign = 2 parts

      • signifiers n signified

      • signifier = word

        • eg ‘d’ » ‘duh’

      • signified = what it’s in reference to

    • signs are arbitrary

      • not anchored to an objective truth

      • ‘dog’ vs ‘un chien’ vs ‘Hund’, each of which non-anchored to a specific thing

      • the one time that signifiers n signified are inherently and interlinked, and not arbitrary, but entirely perfect was Adam’s naming of God’s animals » prelapsarian Adamic language

      • prelapsarian = before the Fall

  • charles sanders peirce:

    • 3 parts:

      • representamen/signifier

      • object/signified

      • interpretant

  • structuralism:

    • elements of human culture by way of their relationship to a broader system

    • everything together makes up the experience

    • signifiers and signified are objective eg red in paint must correlate to red blood

    • fails to work because of cultural relativism » people have different personal connotations due to nurture/indoctrination eg CHALLENGERS: end scene of ball on racket » tasha’s understanding vs art (?)

  • post-structuralism:

    • just because there are common signifiers n signified, does not mean there is an objective correlation ie people interpret sign differently and have their own meanings for things

    • chapter 6:

      • “I look at the one red smile. The red of the smile is the same as the red of the tulips in Serena Joy’s garden…. The red is the same but there is no connection. The tulips are not tulips of blood, the red smiles are not flowers, neither thing makes a comment on the other…. I put a lot of effort into making such distinctions.”

    • chapter 7:

      • “the difference between lie and lay”

      • “I had only their words for it”

        • “lie” can also be to lie, untruths

        • "word” as in to give one your word = a promise/the truth

        • oxymoronic

    • chapter 39:

      • “…gazing at the blank towels. Once they would have excited me. They would have meant the aftermath, of love” (pg259)