Cognitive semiotics: computational semiosis and artificial intelligence

• Grant number: 10/20530-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: March 11, 2011
• End date: June 18, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Maria Lucia Santaella Braga
• Grantee: Maria Lucia Santaella Braga
• Visiting researcher: Winfried Noeth
• Visiting researcher institution: Universität Kassel, Germany
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e Tecnologia. Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

When general semiotics turned to the analysis of machines and their capacity to produce signs, one of its first tasks was to elucidate the concept of semiotic machine. A set of questions began to occupy the first plane of reflection. The concept of symbolic machine became the metaphorical designation common to the computer. Semioticians, especially computational semioticians, have their motives to generically employ the designation of semiotic machine. But what is a semiotic machine? If it is only a machine envolved in the creation of processes of signs and interpretation (that is, processes of semiosis) there are doubts wether ordinary computers can be called semiotic machines. Autonomy, control, capacity of self-generation, reasoning, and the complex relationship between machine and mind are some of the challanges which are far away from a solution. To contribute to this debate in the light of the semiotic formulations of Charles Sanders Peirce is one of the main scopes of this program of research. (AU)