I AM A REAL “ROBERT LANGDON”! =============================

When I say “I’m a Real Symbologist,” I mean that I’m a real semiotician, one who applies the semiotics of the American semiotician Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914). I use “symbologist” above only because, for most people, “symbology” is the more familiar term. “Semiotics,” however, is the real “symbology,” semiotics being the science of signs, of interpretation, and so I’m a scientist of the “signing action of nature.” And note: a “symbol,” for Peirce, is only one kind of sign! Oh, and when I say “I’m a Real Robert Langdon,” again, I am just using a well-known fictional character to draw attention to my Blog! So, let’s settle for this: I am a real “Dr. W. John Coletta,” semiotician, and a follower, again, of the semiotics of Charles Sanders Peirce.

As Peirce helps us understand (see the Peirce quotation under the masthead above), symbols are not merely decorative; they help make facts; therefore, semioticians help make the world! But as Peirce also helps us understand, objects (both dynamic, the thing before it is experienced, and immediate, the object as represented in a sign) drive and constrain interpretation. Both symbols and facts are real.)

My goal: Use semiotics (1) to undermine conspiracy theory, replacing it with scientific theory--which, not coincidentally, fosters social and environmental justice. Why does science do this? Because the universe itself is evolving in that direction, because, for example, 'semiotic freedom' (Jesper Hoffmeyer) is an emergent force in the 'semio physics' (Rene Thom 1990) of our universe, and (2) to develop advocates for Critical Global Semiotics (CGS, see Maureen Ellis's book of that name, 2020), CGS being itself a movement advocating the 'glocal' (global + local) (Ellis, Introduction, Critical Global Semiotics, 2020), a perspective that seeks sustainable growth (and social and environmental justice and equity) through applying semiotics and "semioethics" (Petrilli, Chapter 6, CGS 2020), two fields that replace the illogic of 'identity politics' with Peirce's 'logic of synechism' (Petrilli 87), a logic that undermines the false & destructive binaries and hierarchies of self-other, nature-culture, global-local, and black-white.

See below our semiotic and semioethical tools and perspectives!

Principles Underlying Our “Semiotics of Conspiracy Theory” initiative

Here is Prinicple One in INT3RP INC's The Semiotics of Conspirarcy Theory initiative: Conspiracy theories keep believers from seeing (or searching for) the real system that oppresses them, which is what the oppressor encourages!

Here is Principle Two: The “evidence” for conspiracy is usually “hidden in plain sight,” though what is actually hidden is the conspiracy theorist’s own prejudice, fear, & servitude—not the evidence.

Each week I will be posting a new principle!

Semiotician's Toolkit

Beginning today, I will post, once a week, one of our (INT3RP INC's) 35 semiotic tools from our Symbologist's Toolkit. Today I start with, sort of randomly, Tool 2.2, The Virtureal Effect. And here's the real point--or question: who can give an example of how a given semiotic tool, in this case, "The Virtureal Effect," might be applied today in our efforts to better understand the world in which we live?

2.2 The Virtureal Affect: Because of the “Virtureal Effect,” real Symbologists (semioticians) can apply their understanding that the Sign of an Object can exist before the Object it stands for does! For example, Sherlock Holmes was a forensic detective in the virtual (fictional) world before there was ever a real forensic detective; the first real forensic scientist, Frenchman Edmond Locard (1877-1966), was called, ironically, the “Sherlock Holmes of France.” Life imitates art, indeed! Consider how many inventions today were first invented for the Star Trek television series.

Here is today's share (2/6/2021):

1.3 Origin Mining: Many Symbols and Signs originate by means of iconic (based on resemblance) and indexical (based on cause and effect) “stretching.” Take the letter “A,” for example, which stands for a small range of sounds in a linguistic code; turn the letter “A” upside down and you have an icon (a picture) of an animal head! Is it a coincidence that the first letter of the alphabet is one of humanity’s first icons (think, the caves of Lascaux)? The analogical picture of the head of the animal, then, when flipped over to make the letter “A,” represents the beginning of the digitalization of the sign! By studying the underlying iconic origin of signs we may be able to understand why they perform as they do. Marketing and branding semioticians can aply such insights in order to "ground" the images that they use to grow brands.