Abstract
Contemporary semiotic approaches in cultural psychology tend to narrow down Peirce’s constellation of signs to symbols, just one besides icons and indexes. Such reduction confuses representation (Darstellung) with presentation (Vorstellung) and ultimately leads to overlooking a proto-symbolic dimension of human experience. In this chapter, I explore the nature and aspects of the originary situation where signs are born: the I-You-It minimal social encounter. In this situation, it becomes apparent that symbols acquire their meaning motivated by the proto-symbolic dimension of sentience. This can be described in semiotic terms by noting that human encounters do not rely exclusively on symbols, but also suppose the permanent participation of icons and indexes. It is only by acknowledging that a true rendition of social symbolic life cannot be given if separated from vitality in human experience that we will reach an integration of what now stands distinguished as sociocultural and psychical processes.
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Notes
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Elsewhere I have argued that this framework of common sense does not work as propositional contents that we know. Instead, we take the framework for granted, i.e., we trust in people (Cornejo, 2013).
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“Followers of any theoretical system are dangerous. They turn their cherished theory into an orthodoxy--to be followed, rather that developed further. As a result what was a tool for thought becomes an object to cherish. The cherishers become proud of their ardent following of the traditions--they claim to be ‘Vygotskyan’ or ‘Piagetian’ or ‘Skinnerian’--any other variety but being themselves. Some even consider themselves to be ‘Valsinerians’--a step that I observe with mild irony and amusement. I certainly refuse to be ‘Valsinerian’ myself--it would mean that I accept having finished my journey as a traveler in the world of ideas, and become just a follower. The only way I see how to follow Valsiner is not to follow him--and I hope to continue my efforts in that kind of following” (Valsiner, 2017, p. 117; italics in the original).
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Cornejo, C. (2021). A Stroll Through the Birthplace of Signs. In: Wagoner, B., Christensen, B.A., Demuth, C. (eds) Culture as Process. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77892-7_11
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