Signs of Meaning in the Universe. Advances in Semiotics.

Midwestern History and Culture

by Jesper Hoffmeyer

Jesper Hoffmeyer is on to something significant. Whereas semiotics is often a dull analysis of formal symbols, Hoffmeyer's biosemiotics is a lively natural history of signs that interprets evolution as a continuous advance in semiotic freedom. All living things, according to Hoffmeyer, are constantly reacting to their environment by interpreting the signs in their own unwelt,, or interior representation of the surrounding world. Freedom and chaotic self-organization thus become the hallmarks of all life. Based on sound research and written in a delightfully accessible style, Signs of Meaning in the Universe should be interpreted as an advance in both philosophy and science.

Genres: Philosophy, Science, Nonfiction, Semiotics, History

165 pages, ebook

First published December 1, 1996

Reviews

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been working my way into semiotics backwards, starting from oblique references and moving through advanced retrospective and applied works, and naturally have found myself a bit confused about some of the basics. I tried out Sebeok's Introduction to Semiotics and found that it jumps into the weeds of sign classifications way too quickly and doesn't spend enough time on the philosophy. Signs of Meaning is a much better introductory book, at least for my purposes. It focuses almost entirely on presenting the philosophy of biosemiotics in familiar and approachable pop science language. It did clear up some of the remaining questions I had and confirm a few tentative leaps I had made on my own.

The problem is just that, even though it's a relatively short book, it still feels fluffy and unfocused. A lot of the examples and implications Hoffmeyer takes from his relatively simple premises quickly get rambly and personal and lose sight of the field he's introducing. The first few chapters are good but by the time he hits biochemistry, human intelligence, language, and ethics, there are like three good paragraphs per chapter worth of inadequately and speculatively summarizing vast fields of research, going on tangents that add detail without insight, and wildly extrapolating semiotics to distant spiritual ideas. It's a good place to start if you're trying to get into semiotics but don't let the pop and personal crap put you off the rest of it.

[Elisa R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

In advocating for the semiosphere: "In short, it is hard to see how ecology can be our guide and mentor in managing nature when it keeps splitting the world up into two distinct sectors—the natural and the cultural—thereby upholding all of the emotional superstructure, all the illusions, that alienate us from nature." (p. 143)

I like Hoffmeyer's writing style very much.

[Debi Coish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow going - excellent writing, but very dense. Or I'm dense, and can only absorb a bit at a time.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indiana alums will surely enjoy Dissent in the Heartland. I learned a great deal about my Alma mater and Bloomington. President James Madison chose the site for IU campus, formerly home of the Miami Indians tribe. Originally called Indiana Seminary, the school enrolled 10 students with one professor, constructed after the plan of Princeton College. IU was a pioneer in coeducation, admitted the first female undergrad in 1867. In addition, IU had one of the first African American Studies program as well as Women’s program in the nation. There is much about the great impact Herman B. Wells, eternal bachelor and president of IU from 1938 to 1962, had on making the school international in scope and forward looking; in particular, his defiance against McCarthyism and threats of communism among the intellectual ranks. Eli Lilly donated 100,000 books and 1.5 million manuscripts to help start the library. The bulk of the book focuses on the student organizations that helped the civil rights and antiwar efforts through protests and sit-ins that later merged into equal rights for women, environmental protection and sexual preference. Many of these groups suffered threats and abuses from conservative political groups, local citizens as well as the Klu Klux Klan. Of particular note was the KKK bombing of the “Black Market” on Kirkwood Ave., one of the first African American stores to promote African culture. This became the site of the current Peoples Park. Groups successfully challenged policies that all males complete ROTC, women’s curfews, prohibitions on cohabitation and living off campus. In addition, the Little 500 was successfully stopped as well as the Homecoming Queen proceedings in protest of anti-African American policies of the fraternities and conventional ideas about beauty. You are bound to find out about political actions some of your professors championed. For instance, James Dinsmoor, one of my psychology professors ran for the Democratic Party nomination from the seventh district as a peace candidate. This type of history proves to be much more interesting than the psychology of learning class as I recall. If I didn’t know better, I was sure this book was talking about Berkeley, CA or Madison, WI in the 60s.

[Susan Y, · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used parts of this book already when I was researching 1968 at Purdue University. The book is available on Google Books. I liked it so well I bought the book. Since I was in Europe from fall 1968 to summer 1969, I missed out on this period of rebellion at Indiana schools in 1968 and Woodstock in 1969. I've never entirely understood it.

[LT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Required reading for Bloomingtonians - the section on the civil rights movement is particularly amazing. In that chapter, Wynkoop tells the story of the shutdown of the Little Five in 1968, among other inspiring stories.

[James Carmichael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of what the 1960s meant at Indiana University; somewhat besotted with its subject, it nonetheless conveys a sense of time and place.