Abstract
This paper proposes an analysis of the European Constitution from the perspective of its conditions of possibility. The focus is on the conditions that subtend the European constitution, the conditions, the premises that make the European Constitution possible. In the present context of discourse “possibility” is understood in the sense of Kantian critique. But here critique is based on Reasonableness rather than on Reason—in fact a thesis orienting this essay is that the human being to survive and to survive well must quickly change from a rational animal into a reasonable animal. Is the European constitution possible? Where must we search for the necessary conditions that support the European constitution (1) in common historical and cultural traditions, in common practices, in common social behaviours or (2) merely in a shared decision, an accord, a contract, a convention? There exists a third possibility: the idea that Europe has no future without a European constitution founded on awareness that all European Nations participate in a common destiny, which in the era of globalization is the destiny the whole world, indeed of life over the whole planet. Such participation must be based on the logic of otherness and reasonableness of which the human being alone as a semiotic animal is capable. As a semiotic animal, that is, an animal capable of metasemiosis, reflection and critical consciousness, the human being is responsible for all of life over the planet.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Benjamin, W. 1986 [1931]. The destructive character. In Reflections. Walter Benjamin. Essays, aphorisms, autobiographical writings, ed. P. Demetz, 301–303 (8h ed., Eng. Trans: Jephcott, E.). New York: Schocken Books.
Calvino, I. 1988. Lezioni americane, 59. Milan: Garzanti.
Council of the European Union. 2003. Treaty establishing a constitution for Europe. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications o the European Communities.
Derrida, J. 2003. Voyous. Paris: Galilée.
European Coordination Centre for Research, Documentation in Social Sciences. 1990. L’Acte final d’Helsinki. Wilhelmsfeld: Gottfried Egert Verlag.
European Commission. 1995. Green Book on Innovation. typescrpt, see European Commission website.
Levinas, E. 1988. À l’Heure des Nations. Paris: Les Éditions de Minuit. English edition: Levinas, E. 1994. In the time of the Nations (trans: Smith, M. B.). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Levinas, E. 1974. Autrement qu’être ou au-dela de l’essence. The Hague: Nijhoff; English edition: Levinas, E. 2000. Otherwise than being or beyond essence (trans: Lingis, A.). Pittsburgh: Duquesne University Press.
Levinas, E. 1993. The rights of man and the rights of the other. In Outside the subject, 116–125 (trans: Smith, M. B.). Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Marx, K. 1959 [1844]. Private property and communism. In Economic and philosophic manuscripts (trans: Milligan, M.). Moscow: Progress.
Marx, K. 1970 [1875]. Critique of the Gotha Programme. In Marx/Engels selected works vol. 3, 13–30. Moscow: Progress.
Marx, K. 1973 [1857–1861]. Outlines of the critique of political economy (trans: Nicolaus, M.). London: Penguin.
Morin, E. 1987. Penser l’Europe. Paris: Gallimard.
Morris, C. 1948. The open self. New York: Prentice-Hall.
National Security Council. 2002. The National Security Strategy of the United States of America. Washington: GPO.
Rossi-Landi, F. 1982. Ideologia, ed. A. Ponzio. Rome: Meltemi.
Rossi-Landi, F. 1994 [1972]. Semiotica e ideologia, ed. A. Ponzio. Milan: Bompiani.
Schaff, A. 1992. Umanesimo ecumenico, ed. A. Ponzio (1t ed. in Spanish, 1991). Bari: Adriatica.
Schaff, A. 1998. Meditazioni, ed. A. Ponzio (Italian translation from Spanish edition 1997). Bari: Edizioni dal Sud.
Sebeok, T. A. 1991. Semiosis and semiotics: What lies in their future? In A sign is just a sign, 97–99. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Sebeok, T. A. 2001. Global semiotics. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Villain-Gandossi, C., K. Bochmann, M. Metzeltin, and C. Shäffner. 1990. The concept of Europe in the process of the CSCE. Tübingen: Gunter Narr.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Translation from Italian by Susan Petrilli.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ponzio, A. The European Constitution: A Semiotics Analysis of Ideology, Identity and Global Commun in Present-Day Europe. Int J Semiot Law 21, 35–55 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11196-007-9055-z
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11196-007-9055-z