Calendar

Annotation

The lecture provides an introduction to biosemiotics, starting with the debate on the lower threshold of semiotics. The purpose is to present the biosemiotic axiom, according to which semiosis and life are co-extensive, analysing what is meant by “life”. We will employ a case study analysis method, focusing on examples such as intelligent materials and mineral evolution, to question the boundary between living and non-living systems. In addition, indigenous cosmologies, as explored by contemporary anthropology, will be integrated to demonstrate how the concept of life is deeply embedded in cultural understandings and the relationship with nature. This second part of the lecture will examine cultural perspectives that view living beings as complex agents, including entities such as mountains, rivers, glaciers, and stones. The question we will try to address is: how far does life and semiosis extend?