Category Archives: Inquiry

Sign Relations • Signs and Inquiry

Posted on February 9, 2024 by Jon Awbrey

There is a close relationship between the pragmatic theory of signs and the pragmatic theory of inquiry.  In fact, the correspondence between the two studies exhibits so many congruences and parallels it is often best to treat them as integral … Continue reading →

Posted in C.S. Peirce, Inquiry, Logic, Mathematics, Relation Theory, Semiosis, Semiotics, Sign Relations, Triadicity | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Sign Relations • Definition

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Jon Awbrey

One of Peirce’s clearest and most complete definitions of a sign is one he gives in the context of providing a definition for logic, and so it is informative to view it in that setting. Logic will here be defined … Continue reading →

Posted in C.S. Peirce, Inquiry, Logic, Mathematics, Relation Theory, Semiosis, Semiotics, Sign Relations, Triadicity | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Sign Relations • Anthesis

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Jon Awbrey

Thus, if a sunflower, in turning towards the sun, becomes by that very act fully capable, without further condition, of reproducing a sunflower which turns in precisely corresponding ways toward the sun, and of doing so with the same reproductive … Continue reading →

Posted in C.S. Peirce, Inquiry, Logic, Mathematics, Relation Theory, Semiosis, Semiotics, Sign Relations, Triadicity | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Survey of Semiotics, Semiosis, Sign Relations • 5

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Jon Awbrey

C.S. Peirce defines logic as “formal semiotic”, using formal to highlight the place of logic as a normative science, over and above the descriptive study of signs and their role in wider fields of play.  Understanding logic as Peirce understands … Continue reading →

Posted in C.S. Peirce, Inquiry, Logic, Mathematics, Relation Theory, Semiosis, Semiotics, Sign Relations, Triadicity | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Survey of Cybernetics • 4

Posted on January 25, 2024 by Jon Awbrey

Again, in a ship, if a man were at liberty to do what he chose, but were devoid of mind and excellence in navigation (αρετης κυβερνητικης), do you perceive what must happen to him and his fellow sailors? — Plato … Continue reading →

Posted in Abduction, C.S. Peirce, Communication, Control, Cybernetics, Deduction, Determination, Discovery, Doubt, Epistemology, Fixation of Belief, Induction, Information, Information = Comprehension × Extension, Information Theory, Inquiry, Inquiry Driven Systems, Inquiry Into Inquiry, Interpretation, Invention, Knowledge, Learning Theory, Logic, Logic of Relatives, Logic of Science, Mathematics, Peirce, Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, Pragmatic Information, Probable Reasoning, Process Thinking, Relation Theory, Scientific Inquiry, Scientific Method, Semeiosis, Semiosis, Semiotic Information, Semiotics, Sign Relational Manifolds, Sign Relations, Surveys, Triadic Relations, Uncertainty | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Survey of Definition and Determination • 3

Posted on January 24, 2024 by Jon Awbrey

In the early 1990s, “in the middle of life’s journey” as the saying goes, I returned to grad school in a systems engineering program with the idea of taking a more systems-theoretic approach to my development of Peircean themes, from … Continue reading →

Posted in C.S. Peirce, Comprehension, Constraint, Definition, Determination, Extension, Form, Indication, Information = Comprehension × Extension, Inquiry, Logic, Mathematics, Scientific Method, Semiotics, Sign Relations, Structure | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The object of reasoning is to find out …

Posted on January 23, 2024 by Jon Awbrey

No longer wondered what I would do in life but defined my object. — C.S. Peirce (1861), “My Life, written for the Class-Book”, (CE 1, 3) The object of reasoning is to find out, from the consideration of what we already … Continue reading →

Posted in C.S. Peirce, Determination, Dyadic Relations, Fixation of Belief, Inference, Inquiry, Intention, Intentional Contexts, Intentional Objects, Logic, Objects Objectives Objectivity, Pragmata, Pragmatism, Reasoning, Scientific Inquiry, Semiotics, Sign Relations, Triadic Relations, Triadicity | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

In the Way of Inquiry • Discussion 1

Posted on January 15, 2024 by Jon Awbrey

Re: In the Way of Inquiry • Justification Trap Re: Academia.edu • Bhupinder Singh Anand BSA: Thanks for highlighting what I perceive as some challenging issues in the foundations of what we seek to term as “Knowledge” and “Truth”.  … … Continue reading →

Posted in Animata, C.S. Peirce, Inquiry, Inquiry Driven Systems, Inquiry Into Inquiry, Intelligent Systems, Semiotics | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Inquiry Into Inquiry • Discussion 9

Posted on August 19, 2023 by Jon Awbrey

Re: Pragmatic Maxim Re: Academia.edu • Milo Gardner MG: Do you agree that Peirce was limited to bivalent logic? Taking classical logic as a basis for reasoning is no more limiting than taking Dedekind cuts as a basis for constructing … Continue reading →

Posted in Automata, C.S. Peirce, Category Theory, Compositionality, Formal Languages, Inference, Information, Information Fusion, Initiative, Inquiry, Logic, Relation Theory, Semiotics, Triadic Relation Irreducibility, Visualization | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Inquiry Into Inquiry • Discussion 8

Posted on August 18, 2023 by Jon Awbrey

Re: Inquiry Into Inquiry • Discussion 7 Re: Academia.edu • Milo Gardner MG: Peirce sensed that bivalent syntax was superceded by trivalent syntax, but never resolved that nagging question. The main thing is not a question of syntax but a … Continue reading →

Posted in Automata, C.S. Peirce, Category Theory, Compositionality, Formal Languages, Inference, Information, Information Fusion, Initiative, Inquiry, Logic, Relation Theory, Semiotics, Triadic Relation Irreducibility, Visualization | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments