Consciousness and the Philosophy of Signs

How Peircean Semiotics Combines Phenomenal Qualia and Practical Effects

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, History, Criticism, & Surveys, Mind & Body
Cover of the book Consciousness and the Philosophy of Signs by Marc Champagne, Springer International Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Marc Champagne ISBN: 9783319733388
Publisher: Springer International Publishing Publication: March 9, 2018
Imprint: Springer Language: English
Author: Marc Champagne
ISBN: 9783319733388
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Publication: March 9, 2018
Imprint: Springer
Language: English

It is often thought that consciousness has a qualitative dimension that cannot be tracked by science. Recently, however, some philosophers have argued that this worry stems not from an elusive feature of the mind, but from the special nature of the concepts used to describe conscious states. Marc Champagne draws on the neglected branch of philosophy of signs or semiotics to develop a new take on this strategy.  

The term “semiotics” was introduced by John Locke in the modern period – its etymology is ancient Greek, and its theoretical underpinnings are medieval. Charles Sanders Peirce made major advances in semiotics, so he can act as a pipeline for these forgotten ideas. Most philosophers know Peirce as the founder of American pragmatism, but few know that he also coined the term “qualia,” which is meant to capture the intrinsic feel of an experience. Since pragmatic verification and qualia are now seen as conflicting commitments, Champagne endeavors to understand how Peirce could (or thought he could) have it both ways. The key, he suggests, is to understand how humans can insert distinctions between features that are always bound. 

Recent attempts to take qualities seriously have resulted in versions of panpsychism, but Champagne outlines a more plausible way to achieve this. So, while semiotics has until now been the least known branch of philosophy ending in –ics, his book shows how a better understanding of that branch can move one of the liveliest debates in philosophy forward.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

It is often thought that consciousness has a qualitative dimension that cannot be tracked by science. Recently, however, some philosophers have argued that this worry stems not from an elusive feature of the mind, but from the special nature of the concepts used to describe conscious states. Marc Champagne draws on the neglected branch of philosophy of signs or semiotics to develop a new take on this strategy.  

The term “semiotics” was introduced by John Locke in the modern period – its etymology is ancient Greek, and its theoretical underpinnings are medieval. Charles Sanders Peirce made major advances in semiotics, so he can act as a pipeline for these forgotten ideas. Most philosophers know Peirce as the founder of American pragmatism, but few know that he also coined the term “qualia,” which is meant to capture the intrinsic feel of an experience. Since pragmatic verification and qualia are now seen as conflicting commitments, Champagne endeavors to understand how Peirce could (or thought he could) have it both ways. The key, he suggests, is to understand how humans can insert distinctions between features that are always bound. 

Recent attempts to take qualities seriously have resulted in versions of panpsychism, but Champagne outlines a more plausible way to achieve this. So, while semiotics has until now been the least known branch of philosophy ending in –ics, his book shows how a better understanding of that branch can move one of the liveliest debates in philosophy forward.

More books from Springer International Publishing

Cover of the book Managing Organizational Diversity by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Applications of the 'Fair Hearing' Norm in ECHR Article 6(1) to Civil Proceedings by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Wild Pedagogies by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Model Validation and Uncertainty Quantification, Volume 3 by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Quantum Measurement by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book C-H Bond Activation and Catalytic Functionalization II by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Oculoplastic Surgery Atlas by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Shared Services and Outsourcing: A Contemporary Outlook by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Security, Privacy, and Anonymity in Computation, Communication, and Storage by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Building Bridges: Connections and Challenges in Modern Approaches to Numerical Partial Differential Equations by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Agroecology by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Short Stay Management of Atrial Fibrillation by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Top 50 Grammar Mistakes by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Homological Methods, Representation Theory, and Cluster Algebras by Marc Champagne
Cover of the book Unconventional Computation and Natural Computation by Marc Champagne
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy