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A Cognitive-Semiotic Approach to Agency : Assessing Ideas from Cognitive Science and Neuroscience

Mendoza-Collazos, Juan LU orcid and Zlatev, Jordan LU (2022) In Biosemiotics 15(1). p.141-170
Abstract
Following the levels of intentionality and semiosis distinguished by the Semiotic Hierarchy (a layered model of semiosis/intentionality), and the distinction between original agency (without the use of artefacts) and enhanced agency (the prosthetic incorporation of artefacts), we propose a model of an agency hierarchy, consisting of six layers. Consistent with the phenomenological orientation of cognitive semiotics, a central claim is that agency and subjectivity are complementary aspects of intentionality. Hence, there is no agency without at least the minimal sense/feeling of agency. This perspective rules out all artefacts as genuine agents, as well as simple organisms, since it is highly unlikely that e.g. bacteria have any... (More)
Following the levels of intentionality and semiosis distinguished by the Semiotic Hierarchy (a layered model of semiosis/intentionality), and the distinction between original agency (without the use of artefacts) and enhanced agency (the prosthetic incorporation of artefacts), we propose a model of an agency hierarchy, consisting of six layers. Consistent with the phenomenological orientation of cognitive semiotics, a central claim is that agency and subjectivity are complementary aspects of intentionality. Hence, there is no agency without at least the minimal sense/feeling of agency. This perspective rules out all artefacts as genuine agents, as well as simple organisms, since it is highly unlikely that e.g. bacteria have any first-person perspective. Using this model, we review and assess recent proposals on the nature of agency from cognitive science, and neuroscience, and draw conclusions on how to
incorporate aspects of them within a synthetic cognitive-semiotic framework. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Agency hierarchy, Agentive semiotics, Cognitive semiotics, Enhanced agency, Phenomenology, Semiotic hierarchy
in
Biosemiotics
volume
15
issue
1
pages
141 - 170
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85126105797
ISSN
1875-1342
DOI
10.1007/s12304-022-09473-z
project
The role of artefacts in relation to agency
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4f511617-cb60-4720-be13-1fbc561a99b8
date added to LUP
2022-03-15 16:45:51
date last changed
2023-12-05 17:55:29
@article{4f511617-cb60-4720-be13-1fbc561a99b8,
  abstract     = {{Following the levels of intentionality and semiosis distinguished by the Semiotic Hierarchy (a layered model of semiosis/intentionality), and the distinction between original agency (without the use of artefacts) and enhanced agency (the prosthetic incorporation of artefacts), we propose a model of an agency hierarchy, consisting of six layers. Consistent with the phenomenological orientation of cognitive semiotics, a central claim is that agency and subjectivity are complementary aspects of intentionality. Hence, there is no agency without at least the minimal sense/feeling of agency. This perspective rules out all artefacts as genuine agents, as well as simple organisms, since it is highly unlikely that e.g. bacteria have any first-person perspective. Using this model, we review and assess recent proposals on the nature of agency from cognitive science, and neuroscience, and draw conclusions on how to<br/>incorporate aspects of them within a synthetic cognitive-semiotic framework.}},
  author       = {{Mendoza-Collazos, Juan and Zlatev, Jordan}},
  issn         = {{1875-1342}},
  keywords     = {{Agency hierarchy; Agentive semiotics; Cognitive semiotics; Enhanced agency; Phenomenology; Semiotic hierarchy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{141--170}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Biosemiotics}},
  title        = {{A Cognitive-Semiotic Approach to Agency : Assessing Ideas from Cognitive Science and Neuroscience}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12304-022-09473-z}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s12304-022-09473-z}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}