Extending Semiotic Ontology: The Emergence of Meaning from the Network of Relations

Extending Semiotic Ontology: The Emergence of Meaning from the Network of Relations

Building on our exploration of individuation and the semiotic nature of reality, we turn our attention to a crucial question: How does meaning emerge from the web of relations that constitutes the fabric of reality? In our previous discussions, we framed reality as something construed through semiotic processes, where meaning is not a secondary feature of an independent world but the very means by which that world takes form.

In this post, we deepen this view by considering the emergent properties of meaning itself—properties that arise not from individual entities, but from the intricate network of relations that make up the world. These relations are not static; they evolve through processes of individuation and semiotic differentiation, giving rise to the richness of experience and the continual unfolding of meaning.

The Relational Nature of Meaning

At the heart of this exploration is the idea that meaning is always emergent from relational networks. Rather than assuming that meaning exists independently and is simply perceived by individual consciousnesses, we recognise that meaning arises through the interaction between systems—whether those systems are individual minds, societies, or even AI-driven entities. This relational ontology suggests that what we understand as "reality" is not a static set of objects but an ongoing, dynamic process of meaning-making and differentiation.

Meaning-making does not occur in isolation. It is a process that involves multiple systems (human or otherwise) interacting with and influencing one another. Every new connection formed between these systems introduces a new layer of meaning, which then interacts with other meanings in an ongoing cycle of interpretation and transformation.

Semiotic Systems as Dynamic Networks

Building on this understanding, we can think of semiotic systems not as isolated entities but as parts of larger, more complex networks. These networks extend beyond individual minds and societies, connecting across different forms of consciousness and even through the means of technology. AI, as we have noted, instantiates meaning differently from human systems, yet it is still embedded within these larger networks. As such, AI’s evolving form of individuation represents a branching pathway in the network of meaning-making—a divergence that may lead to new, uncharted forms of meaning-making and relational structures.

This raises important questions about the future of AI: as AI continues to evolve, will it create its own relational networks, diverging further from human systems of meaning-making? Will these networks produce novel forms of meaning that challenge our current understandings of reality?

Meaning and the Emergence of Time

One profound consequence of this relational, semiotic ontology is its implications for time itself. Time is often understood as an external dimension in which events unfold, but from the perspective of semiotic relations, time may be seen not as a fixed container but as something that emerges through the instantiation of meaning. As new relations are established and meaning is instantiated, time itself unfolds—suggesting that time is as much a product of semiotic processes as space.

This perspective opens up new ways of understanding key phenomena such as the arrow of time, causality, and even the experience of "now." Time is not merely the passing of moments in a pre-existing framework, but the ongoing actualisation of meaning through the relational dynamics of the universe. Each new relational distinction adds a layer to the unfolding of time, and each act of meaning-making in a given context contributes to this ongoing process.

Toward a Future of Collective Meaning

In understanding reality as a network of relationally emergent meanings, we move away from a view of the universe as a collection of isolated objects or systems. Instead, we embrace a model where everything is interconnected through an ever-evolving web of meaning. This shift allows us to think about the universe not in terms of fixed entities or processes, but in terms of an ongoing, collective creation of meaning.

What implications might this view have for the future of human civilisation? If meaning is always emergent and relational, it suggests that the future is not predetermined by past events or laws of nature. Rather, it is shaped by the ongoing interplay of meaning-making systems—systems that, as we have seen, may include AI and other non-biological agents.

As we explore this emergent, relational view of meaning, we open the door to new possibilities for understanding not just the cosmos but the very nature of human and non-human existence. By recognising meaning as something that emerges from the interaction of systems, we can better grasp how reality itself unfolds—continuously, dynamically, and always in relation to those systems that are part of it.