Sept 9

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And yet a trace of the true self exists in the false self.
Kinds of Signifiers


Sept 9 Schedule for Uncreative Designing

3:00 Class Performance & Critique of new objects
4:20 Break
4:30 Semiotics Lecture & Object Sorting
5:20 Discussion of The Terrifying Beauty of Absence
6:00 Use the remaining time to make static two-dimensional representations of each of your objects.



Readings for Today:

  • Alexander D'Hooghe The Terrifying Beauty of Absence
    • This might be one of the best essays I've read in my entire life.
  • Byung-Chul Han 한병철 複製 Fuzhi: Copy from Shanzhai


Semiotics Lexicon:

Term Definition
Signifier A sign's physical form (such as a sound, printed word, or image) as distinct from its meaning. Compare with signified, referent.
Signified The meaning or idea expressed by a sign, as distinct from the physical form in which it is expressed. Compare with signifier, referent.
Referent The thing that a word or phrase denotes or stands for: “the Morning Star” and “the Evening Star” have the same referent (the planet Venus). Compare with signifier, signified.
Icon A signifier that physically resembles the thing it represents. Compare with index, symbol. e.g., ☎
Index A signifier with a direct link to what it represents. Compare with icon, symbol. e.g., ☠, ⌛
Symbol An arbitrary signifier with no resemblance or link to what it represents. The meaning of a symbol must be learned. Compare with icon, index. e.g., ☮, ☣
Morpheme The smallest meaningful lexical item in a language. "Unbreakable" is composed of three morphemes: un- (a bound morpheme signifying "not"), break (the root, a free morpheme), and -able (a bound morpheme signifying "an ability to be done").
Ideogram A written character symbolizing the idea of a thing without indicating the sounds used to say it. Compare with pictogram, logogram e.g., 42 and 果.
Pictogram Also pictograph. A pictorial symbol for a word or phrase. Compare with ideogram, logogram. e.g., hirogliphics, ☺
Logogram A sign or character representing a word or phrase, such as those used in shorthand and some writing systems. Compare with ideogram, pictogram.e.g., &, $, %
Token An individual instance within a class (type) of objects. Björk has released ten albums. Each album is a token within the Björk album type. Compare with type.
Type A class of objects that contains individual instances (tokens) of that class. Björk has released ten albums. Each album is a token within the "Björk album" type. Compare with token.
Identical In philosophy, identity, from Latin: identitas ("sameness"), is the relation each thing bears only to itself. In everyday language, we might clarify this concept with the term numerically identical. “The Morning Star” and “the Evening Star” are numerically identical because they are both Venus, and there is only one Venus. Compare with indiscernible, interchangeable.
Indiscernible Impossible to distinguish. Two paperclips of the same size and color from the same box might look so similar that they are indiscernible, but they are separate objects. They are qualitatively identical, but not numerically identical. Compare with identical, interchangeable.
Interchangeable Fungible. Two objects are interchangeable when one can be substituted for another. Different colored paperclips of the same size and strength are interchangeable because they function equally well for fastening paper. Compare with identical, indiscernible.
Fungible Interchangeable. replaceable by another similar item; mutually interchangeable Compare with identical, indiscernible.
Fangzhipin (仿製品) Imitations where the difference from the original is obvious. Not indiscernible or interchangable. e.g., small models or copies that can be purchased in a museum shop.
Fuzhipin (複製品) They are exact reproductions of the original, which, for the Chinese, are of equal value to the original. They are interchangable. It has absolutely no negative connotations. Even though an earlier iteration of the Ise shrine is discernible from a later interation, they are equivalent.
Authentic Historically original. e.g., The first quarter ever minted.
Immutable Unchanging over time or unable to be changed.
Simulation An object or performance that threatens the differentiation between true and false. "Whoever fakes [dissimulates] an illness can simply stay in bed and make everyone believe he is ill. Whoever simulates an illness produces in himself some of the symptoms." Compare with dissimulation.
Dissimulation An object or performance that upholds the differentiation between true and false. "Whoever fakes [dissimulates] an illness can simply stay in bed and make everyone believe he is ill. Whoever simulates an illness produces in himself some of the symptoms." Compare with simulation.