iReview: Introduction to Universe of Mind by Umberto Eco

I would like to discuss a chapter entitled "Introduction" from the book Universe of the Mind: A Semiotic Theory of Culture. The book is originally written in Russian by Yuri Lotman.

The chapter of Introduction that I will be discussing here is written by Umberto Eco. It is an introduction to the English translation of the book which is translated by Ann Shukman.

𝟭. 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗥:

Umberto Eco was an Italian medievalist, philosopher, semiotician, novelist, cultural critic, and political and social commentator. In English, he is best known for his novels. Eco wrote prolifically throughout his life, with his output including children's books, translations from French and English. At the time of his death, he was an Emeritus professor at the University of Bologna, where he taught for much of his life. In the 21st century, he has continued to gain recognition for his 1995 essay "Ur-Fascism", where Eco lists fourteen general properties he believes comprise fascist ideologies.

𝟮. 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧?

The chapter provides an overview of the work of Yuri Lotman focusing on his contribution to semiotics and the history of culture. Eco attempts to explain how Lotman, initially influenced by structuralism, moved towards a more complex understanding of culture as a system of codes and texts, ultimately developing the concept of Semiosphere as a dynamic whole. The text explains how Lotman develop a more comprehensive semiotic theory that views culture as a complex system of interconnected sign systems, rather than just individual devices or codes. The chapter stresses on Lotman’s interdisciplinary approach and his insightful analysis of cultural typologies and concepts.

Eco states that two very important intellectual movements erupted in European academia during sixties: Semiotics/Semiology and Structuralism.

Eco also differentiates semiotics from structuralism: Semiotics is the study of the entire range of sign systems and communication processes, while structuralism is a method that has proven useful for analyzing linguistic and cultural systems. He also notes that all semioticians may not use structuralist method.

For Lotman, considering the whole semiosphere as a single mechanism is necessary because understanding its various aspects is only possible by viewing it as a unified entity, not just a collection of individual parts.

𝟯. 𝗞𝗘𝗬 𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗠𝗦:

𝟯.𝟭 𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀/𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆:

The study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation, encompassing the entire range of signs systems and communication processes.

𝟯.𝟮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺:

A method of analysis that views culture as analogous to language, emphasizing underlying structures and systems of relations.

𝟯.𝟯 𝗥𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺:

A school of literary criticism originating in Russia in the late 1910s and 1920s, focusing on the formal properties and “devices” of literary texts rather than their content or social context.

𝟯.𝟰 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲:

In formalism, a technique used by a writer to produce a specific effect, such as defamiliarization.

𝟯.𝟱 𝗗𝗲-𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:

A formalist concept referring to the technique of presenting common things in an unfamiliar or strange way in order to enhance perception and understanding.

𝟯.𝟲 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹:

A group of linguists and literary theorists active in Prague during the 1920s and 1930s, known for their contributions to structural linguistics and phonology.

𝟯.𝟳 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲:

A fundamental distinction in Saussurean linguistics; ‘langue’ refers to the abstract language system or code, while ‘parole’ refers to individual acts of speaking or writing messages.

𝟯.𝟴 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲:

Concepts derived from Information Theory and Structuralism; the code is the system of rules or conventions, and the message is the specific instance of communication encoded using that system.

𝟯.𝟵 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺:

According to Lotman, the fundamental system by which we apprehend the world, which is language.

𝟯.𝟭𝟬 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺:

Other semiotic systems, such as myth, cultural rules, religion, art, and science, which build upon and organize the primary modelling system (language) to offer different ways of understanding and talking about the world.

𝟯.𝟭𝟭 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲:

The study of different types of classifications of cultures based on their underlying semiotic systems and rules.

𝟯.𝟭𝟮 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴:

A mode of learning a system (like language or culture) by understanding its underlying rules and combining discrete units according to those rules.

𝟯.𝟭𝟯 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴:

A mode of learning a system by being exposed to and imitating exiting text (macro-units) from which rules can eventually be inferred.

𝟯.𝟭𝟰 𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:

Lotman’s concept of the entire semiotic space of a culture or continuum, within which various semiotic processes occur. Analogous to the biosphere.

𝟯.𝟭𝟱 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹):

The process of mixing different cultural codes and systems, resulting in contrasts and hybrids.

𝟯.𝟭𝟲 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵:

The analysis of a system (like language or culture) at a specific point in time, without considering its historical development.

That is all for today. Comment which ideas you would like to explore in more details.

#Semiotics #Culture #UmbertoEco #YuriLotman