The cognitive function of iconicity
Unfortunately, Peirce’s concept of the icon has been
reduced to the notion of a sign that represents its object by
similarity. It is true that Peirce considered a subdivision of the
icons into the image, the diagram, and the metaphor, which reveal
other facets of this sign type. However, even this subdivision does
not exhaust the whole picture of iconicity. Although no explicit
systematization can be found in Peirce’s work, the distinction
between pure icon on the one hand and actual icons on the other are
clearly drawn in some passages of his writings. The aim of this
paper is to discuss these passages in order to stress that the
notions of pure icon, actual icons, and hypoicons fit perfectly well
in the logical framework of the categories of Firstness, Secondness,
and Thirdness. Then, the distinct perceptual and cognitive functions
of these facets of iconicity will be explored.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.The pure icon
- 3.Actual icons
- 3.1Peirce’s theory of perception
- 3.2The cognitive role of the icon in perceptual judgment
- 3.3Perceptual judgments of iconic qualisigns
- 4.Hypoicons or iconic signs
- 4.1Images
- 4.2Diagrams
- 4.3Metaphors
-
References
References
Bernstein, R. J.
1964 “
Peirce’s
theory of
perception”. In
Studies
in the Philosophy of Charles Sanders
Peirce,
E. C. Moore and
R. S. Robin (eds), 165–189. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press.
Borges, J. L.
(
1960)
2008 “
A yellow
rose”. In
J. L. Borges,
Dreamtigers, transl.
M. Boyer and
H. Morland. Austin, TX: Univ. of Texas Press. – Quoted
from
[URL] accessed
20–09–2009.
Peirce, C. S.
1931–58 Collected
Papers, vols. 1–6, ed.
C. Hartshorne and
P. Weiss,
vols. 7–8, ed.
A. W. Burks. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ. Press (quoted as CP).
Ramos, Ricardo
2013 Circuito fechado: Contos. Rio de Janeiro: Globo Livros.
Ransdell, J.
1966 Charles
Peirce. The Idea of
Representation. Unpublished PhD thesis. New York, NY: Columbia University.
Santaella, L.
1993 Percepção:
Uma teoria semiótica. São Paulo: Experimento.
Santaella, L.
(
2000)
A teoria geral dos signos.
Semiose e autogeração. São Paulo: Ática; 2nd
ed. São Paulo: Pioneira.
Santaella, L.
1996 “
From
pure icon to metaphor: Six degrees of
iconicity”. In
Peirce’s
Doctrine of Signs: Theory, Applications, and
Connections,
V. M. Colapietro and
T. M. Olshewsky (eds), Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 252–262.
Savan, D.
1976 An
Introduction to C. S. Peirce’s Full System of
Semiotic. Toronto: Victoria College of the University
(=Monograph series of the Toronto Semiotic Circle
1).
Cited by
Cited by 1 other publications
Keränen, Jarkko
2023.
Cross-modal iconicity and indexicality in the production of lexical sensory and emotional signs in Finnish Sign Language.
Cognitive Linguistics 34:3-4
► pp. 333 ff.
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 23 april 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers.
Any errors therein should be reported to them.