What is Dynamic Semiotics?

Dynamic semiotics, also known as Thomian semiotics or morphodynamics, is an innovative approach that explores the interactions between forms and meanings from a qualitative rather than a quantitative perspective. Founded by the French mathematician and philosopher René Thom, this semiotics stands out for its ability to model transitions and ruptures in natural, social, and cultural phenomena, drawing on principles from catastrophe theory (Thom, 1972/1977).

Catastrophe theory, the cornerstone of Thomian semiotics, classifies discontinuous events into seven fundamental mathematical forms known as "elementary catastrophes." These forms help describe and understand the morphological dynamics present in various systems, whether biological, linguistic, or social. For example, a "cusp catastrophe" can model a sudden transition in perception or behavior (Zeeman, 1977). These models provide a synthetic representation of points of rupture or transformation within complex systems, thus facilitating their analysis.

There are essentially two schools of thought in this field: the Danish school of Per Aage Brandt and the French school of Jean Petitot. Both highlight from the outset the existence of multiple distinct semiotics, which Brandt demonstrates throughout his work: catastrophe theory and the theory of saliences and pregnancies. These are two types of topological modeling of meaning, two semiotics:

• The first allows for a complementary consideration of states and transitions between states. This modeling establishes semiotics as a way of thinking about the sign, which is then interpreted by the second modeling—the theory of saliences and pregnances. For Thom, signs are generally motivated: the signifier is motivated by its meaning due to its fundamental biological efficiency, and the arbitrary effects observed in language derive from an underlying semiotic motivation. Signs emerge from animal behavior related to major types of behavioral regulation (detecting prey and predators, recognizing sexual partners, etc.). This conception of the sign differs significantly from structuralist perspectives, which consider the link between signifier and signified as arbitrary.
• The second modeling accounts for how an object of attention, a "salience," signifies through the "pregnance" that invests it.?Saliences are perceptual events, specifically discontinuities in sensory experience, capable of attracting the attention of a conscious organism—for example, a sudden scream in silence. These invite interpretation in organically appropriate terms: this investment makes the event meaningful, or "pregnant" with meaning (Brandt, 1992, 1995).

Thomian semiotics is thus based on these two complementary axes of modeling, enabling a dynamic understanding of evolving meaning. In her work, Marcos (2007, 2019) has also explored how these principles can be applied to territorial and social dynamics, linking dynamic semiotics to disciplines such as urbanism and geography.

A New Epistemological Approach

From an epistemological perspective, dynamic semiotics offers an alternative to the division between the exact sciences and the humanities. It advocates for a "realist turn" that restores a common form of knowledge, both qualitative and interpretative, of phenomena. For Thom, "predicting is not explaining" (1991); explaining a phenomenon lies in its qualitative understanding, making it intelligible and linguistically describable (Petitot, 1985). This realist turn values the qualitative dimension of phenomena, often overlooked by purely quantitative approaches.

The strength of this approach lies in its cross-disciplinary application. For example:

• In linguistics, it allows exploration of the relationship between syntax and the morphology of linguistic events.
• In biology, it provides a framework for understanding evolutionary dynamics.
• In social sciences, it offers tools to analyze structural transformations in societies.
• In environmental studies, it is particularly relevant for studying climate change and territorial dynamics.

By integrating natural, social, human, and territorial sciences, dynamic semiotics helps understand the transformative processes of our planet and the impact of human activities on ecosystems. It aids in modeling the complex interactions between human and natural factors, such as urbanization, deforestation, or climate-induced migrations. For instance, catastrophe theory can be used to analyze critical tipping points in the evolution of a territory facing ecological stress, such as coastal areas vulnerable to rising sea levels.

Towards a New Understanding of Environmental and Social Challenges

Dynamic semiotics offers a method to connect qualitative and quantitative data and create comprehensible representations of complex ecological dynamics. Its ability to bridge different disciplines makes it an essential tool for addressing major contemporary challenges. It invites us to rethink our models of interaction with the territory and develop more sustainable strategies for managing environmental crises.

For example, in the context of climate change mitigation, dynamic semiotics can analyze social representations of climate and identify breaking points in collective behaviors.

Thus, Thomian dynamic semiotics provides a response to the limitations of the structuralist paradigm and proposes analytical tools to understand the complex interactions between forms, meaning, and events. It contributes not only to a deeper understanding of the world but also to the development of solutions tailored to global challenges. The richness of this approach lies in its ability to transcend disciplinary boundaries and offer an integrative perspective on diverse issues.

References

• Thom, René,?Prédire n'est pas expliquer, Paris, Eshel, 1991.
• Thom, René,?Stabilité structurelle et morphogenèse, Paris, Interéditions, 1972/1977.
• Zeeman, Christopher,?Catastrophe Theory: Selected Papers 1972-1977, Cambridge, Addison-Wesley, 1977.
• Petitot, Jean,?Morphogenèse du sens, Paris, PUF, 1985.
• Brandt, Per Aage,?La charpente modale du sens, Aarhus University Press, 1992.
• Brandt, Per Aage,?Morphologies of Meaning, Aarhus University Press, 1995.
• Marcos, Isabel,?Dynamiques de la ville. Essais de sémiotique de l’espace, Paris, L’Harmattan, 2007.
• Marcos, Isabel, 2020. “Presentación del proyecto semiótico: Actualidad de René Thom,” (Steimberg, Oscar, Traversa, Oscar, and Cingolani, Gastón, Ed.) in?Conferencias plenarias, Vol. 8, 175-184,?https://iass-ais.org/proceedings2019/Proceedings_IASS_2019_tomo_8.pdf, ISBN (Online) 978-987-47805-7-7,?Libros de Crítica. área Transdepartamental de Crítica de Artes, language: Spanish.

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