Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The mirror in-between picture and mind : A phenomenologically inspired approach to cognitive semiotics

Sonesson, Göran LU orcid (2015) In Chinese Semiotic Studies 11(2). p.159-180
Abstract
The claim of cognitive semiotics to offer something new to semiotics rests on the ambition to bring together the research traditions of semiotics and cognitive science. Our focus has been on using the empirical approach of cognitive science in investigating semiotic issues. At the same time, however, phenomenological description plays a major part in preparing the studies and integrating their results, which is what is offered here. Eco has claimed that the mirror is not a sign, but once the notion of sign is specified, the mirror image is seen to be a perfect instance of it. It is no accident that the Gallup test, which is supposed to demonstrate the emergence of the self, starts having a positive result concurrently with the picture... (More)
The claim of cognitive semiotics to offer something new to semiotics rests on the ambition to bring together the research traditions of semiotics and cognitive science. Our focus has been on using the empirical approach of cognitive science in investigating semiotic issues. At the same time, however, phenomenological description plays a major part in preparing the studies and integrating their results, which is what is offered here. Eco has claimed that the mirror is not a sign, but once the notion of sign is specified, the mirror image is seen to be a perfect instance of it. It is no accident that the Gallup test, which is supposed to demonstrate the emergence of the self, starts having a positive result concurrently with the picture understanding. In contrast, mental images are not images and thus not signs. They are presentifications, i.e., a means for making something present, in the sense characterized by Husserl, and by such followers as Marbach and Thompson. We however argue that Husserl’s model of picture consciousness is incomplete, and that Thompson’s study of mental images lacks clarity because of the absence of any real comparison to pictures. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
mental images, pictorial consciousness, presentification, sign
in
Chinese Semiotic Studies
volume
11
issue
2
pages
159 - 180
publisher
De Gruyter
external identifiers
  • scopus:85051033202
ISSN
2198-9605
DOI
10.1515/css-2015-0009
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
73f75946-8b60-467f-b85f-44093d69286f
date added to LUP
2018-02-27 23:42:31
date last changed
2023-11-17 14:55:48
@article{73f75946-8b60-467f-b85f-44093d69286f,
  abstract     = {{The claim of cognitive semiotics to offer something new to semiotics rests on the ambition to bring together the research traditions of semiotics and cognitive science. Our focus has been on using the empirical approach of cognitive science in investigating semiotic issues. At the same time, however, phenomenological description plays a major part in preparing the studies and integrating their results, which is what is offered here. Eco has claimed that the mirror is not a sign, but once the notion of sign is specified, the mirror image is seen to be a perfect instance of it. It is no accident that the Gallup test, which is supposed to demonstrate the emergence of the self, starts having a positive result concurrently with the picture understanding. In contrast, mental images are not images and thus not signs. They are presentifications, i.e., a means for making something present, in the sense characterized by Husserl, and by such followers as Marbach and Thompson. We however argue that Husserl’s model of picture consciousness is incomplete, and that Thompson’s study of mental images lacks clarity because of the absence of any real comparison to pictures.}},
  author       = {{Sonesson, Göran}},
  issn         = {{2198-9605}},
  keywords     = {{mental images; pictorial consciousness; presentification; sign}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{159--180}},
  publisher    = {{De Gruyter}},
  series       = {{Chinese Semiotic Studies}},
  title        = {{The mirror in-between picture and mind : A phenomenologically inspired approach to cognitive semiotics}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/css-2015-0009}},
  doi          = {{10.1515/css-2015-0009}},
  volume       = {{11}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}