Seeing Meaning: The Promise and Problem of Gibson’s Ecological Realism

James J. Gibson’s The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception has often been celebrated for reframing perception not as a passive reception of sensory inputs but as an active engagement with an environment rich in possibilities. At the heart of this model is the concept of affordances: action possibilities that the environment offers to an organism, specified in terms of the organism’s capacities. A rock may afford sitting, a stream drinking, a handle grasping.

What makes Gibson’s model striking is its attempt to reject the subject-object dualism of classical empiricism. Perception, for Gibson, is not mediated by internal representations or mental constructions; it is direct. Organisms do not infer the world—they encounter it. Affordances are neither subjective projections nor intrinsic properties; they are relational, residing in the interplay between perceiver and environment.

This idea has deep intuitive appeal. It reorients our understanding of perception toward the functional, embodied, and situated. It reminds us that we perceive the world not as abstract geometry, but as a structure of meaningful possibilities.

The Slippage: Affordance as Meaning?

But herein lies a subtle and unresolved tension. Gibson frequently claims that affordances are meaningful—even that they are the real meaning of the world. In Chapter 8 of his book, he writes:

“The affordances of the environment are what it offers the animal, what it provides or furnishes, either for good or ill.”

This move—identifying affordances as meaningful—invites questions that Gibson leaves largely unanswered. Chief among them: what does it mean to say that meaning exists in the world itself, prior to semiotic systems?

From a Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) perspective, this is where the model begins to fray. In SFL, meaning is the product of a semiotic system—a structured set of potential choices that are actualised as instances in context. Meaning, in this view, does not pre-exist the act of semiosis; it is made through it. SFL is, in this respect, a kind of semiotic realism: it identifies reality with meaning, but meaning with the structure and instantiation of a system.

Gibson, by contrast, seems to treat affordances as pre-semiotic meanings: elements of the environment that are already meaningful before being construed. This appears to mistake potential for instance—or more precisely, to reify affordances as instances of meaning in their own right, rather than as potentials for meaning-making.

Meaning Potential vs. Affordance

To draw the contrast clearly: in SFL, what is “sittable” or “drinkable” is not itself meaningful until it is construed in context—as a clause, a figure, a token of process. The affordance is a possible construal, but not yet a meaning. To treat the affordance itself as a meaning is a category error.

Moreover, SFL stratifies meaning. “Sittable” is not simply a quality of the environment, but a semantic potential that must be realised through lexicogrammar and eventually sounded through phonology. The model is inherently symbolic and social. Gibson’s is neither.

Ontological Trouble

This difference is not merely terminological. It signals a deeper ontological divergence. Gibson seems to be groping toward an ontology in which the real is meaningful. But without a robust theory of semiosis, he conflates being meaningful with being useful. This collapses the difference between perception and construal—between seeing a flat surface and construing it as “a chair”.

Finally, Gibson’s model is largely silent on the role of the observer as a meaning-maker. In quantum terms, one might say he resists the idea that observation collapses potential into instance. His perceiver encounters a world already meaningful. But if meaning is constituted in the act of construal, as SFL contends, then the perceiver is not merely passive but ontologically generative.

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Coda: Interpretation and Consciousness

If Gibson’s affordances are not themselves meanings but potentials for meaning, this reframes not only how we understand perception, but how we understand consciousness and interpretation.

In Gibson’s model, perception is direct—meaning is in the world, awaiting discovery. Interpretation, then, appears redundant or secondary. But from a semiotic perspective, especially that of SFL, interpretation is primary: it is the act of transforming potential into instance, construing the environment into meaning.

This has profound implications for consciousness. A consciousness that merely detects is very different from one that construes. The former is a sensor; the latter, a semiotic agent. The ecological model, elegant though it is, risks reducing consciousness to a navigational tool: a function of what the world affords for action. SFL instead invites us to see consciousness as the locus of meaning-making—not the place where the world is simply seen, but where it is interpreted, structured, and symbolised.

Gibson’s move to locate meaning “in the world” is a corrective to solipsism and representationalism—but if taken too far, it risks erasing the interpreter altogether. It forgets that meaning is not found, but made. The environment affords possibilities, but it is the conscious subject that renders those affordances meaningful. Not just “this can be sat on,” but “this is a throne, a trap, a token of hospitality, or an insult”—all possibilities determined not by physical structure alone, but by semiotic and cultural systems.

In this light, the world is not a landscape of meanings waiting to be picked up. It is a landscape of meaning potential, made actual through consciousness, culture, and the symbolic work of interpretation.

Fractals

Fractals, like the Mandelbrot Set, evoke a fascinating mystical response due to the interplay between their infinite complexity and the human tendency to seek meaning in patterns. Here are a few insights that might explain why these images feel so mystical:

1. Infinite Self-Similarity and Recursion The self-similarity of fractals, where the same patterns repeat at every level of magnification, can trigger a sense of the infinite. In mysticism, the infinite is often seen as a representation of the divine or the cosmos, and fractals mimic this experience by visually embodying a process that never truly ends. This repetition, at all scales, mirrors the feeling of the eternal or the unending cycle of creation, which is often present in mythic and spiritual narratives.

2. The Edge of Chaos Much like the "edge of chaos" in complex systems theory, fractals often exist in a space where order and chaos are balanced. They show how small, seemingly simple rules can lead to incredibly intricate and complex structures. This paradoxical balance between order and disorder mirrors the tension at the threshold of transformation, a theme often central to mystical and mythic experiences. The way a fractal unfolds visually, with increasingly complex patterns, evokes a sense of moving through an ever-expanding universe of meaning, just as myths can guide us through the mysterious and unknown.

3. Sublime Aesthetics The beauty of fractals also plays into the concept of the sublime—a term often used to describe experiences that inspire awe, fear, or wonder in the face of vastness or complexity. Fractal images can overwhelm the senses with their infinite, symmetrical complexity, evoking feelings of awe that are common in mystical experiences. These experiences often involve a confrontation with something beyond our comprehension, and the fractal’s endless depth can evoke this very feeling.

4. Psychological Resonance From a psychological perspective, the recursive nature of fractals may tap into deep, evolutionary pathways in the brain that are sensitive to patterns in nature. Our brains are wired to recognise and respond to fractal-like patterns in the environment, such as those found in plants, clouds, or coastlines. The human mind might find something deeply satisfying or even transcendent in the way fractals reflect the structures of nature, creating a kind of resonance between the mind and the universe.

5. Fractals as Metaphors for the Mind On a more abstract level, fractals can be seen as metaphors for the mind itself—how small, individual thoughts or moments of experience (the "iterations") build up into larger, complex patterns of consciousness. This aligns with Campbell’s idea of myth as a process of continuous iteration, where meanings evolve but maintain a core essence. Fractals, in this sense, provide a visual language for the unfolding of meaning over time, much like a mythic journey.

The fractal, then, might represent both a visual manifestation of the infinite and an intuitive symbol for the underlying structures of reality, providing a bridge between the abstract, mathematical order of the universe and the symbolic, mythic order of consciousness.

Semiotic Evolution

Semiotic Evolution in Human Cognition

Cognition, at its core, is the process of creating, processing, and interpreting meaning. The development of human cognition can be understood as an evolution of semiotic systems—the systems of signs and symbols that we use to represent our thoughts, experiences, and the world around us.

1. The Origins of Semiotic Systems in Human Cognition
   Early human cognition was likely rooted in perceptual symbols: visual or sensory representations that helped early humans navigate their environments. These were simple, concrete symbols tied directly to experiences of survival—symbols for danger, food, or shelter. As language emerged, these basic symbols became abstracted, enabling more complex forms of communication. The development of lexicogrammar—a system of structuring signs—allowed for the creation of stories, ideas, and concepts that transcended immediate, tangible experiences.

   • For example, the shift from pointing to an object to naming it is a semiotic leap, one where the symbol (word) moves from being a direct sign of the object to becoming an abstract tool for categorising and conceptualising the world. Over time, this gave rise to the symbolic power of metaphors, where a word can stand for something entirely different yet still carry meaning—like calling someone a “lion” to represent courage or strength.

2. From Concrete Signs to Abstract Thought
   As symbols became more abstract, they began to represent concepts (justice, freedom, love) and even social roles. Through these semiotic abstractions, human cognition could express complex relationships between individuals and society. Humans could now engage in higher-order thinking, understanding themselves not only in terms of physical survival but also in terms of their social and existential roles.

3. The Cognitive Revolution
   The development of semiotic systems allowed for the cognitive revolution: humans began to process not just sensory data but symbols of symbols—representing ideas within ideas. This opened the door to complex cultural and mythological systems. As individuals mastered the use of abstract symbols, they began to understand the world as a place of interconnected symbols. It was not just the physical world that was important, but also the meaning embedded within that world.

   This cognitive shift set the stage for language to evolve from a simple tool of survival to a tool of meaning-making. Stories, rituals, and myths became the medium through which humans navigated their physical and social worlds. Symbols now represented not just external objects but also internal states—emotions, desires, ideals, fears.

Semiotic Evolution in Culture

Just as semiotic systems evolve in individual cognition, they also evolve on a cultural level. Cultures are essentially vast networks of shared semiotic systems: symbols, rituals, language, and practices that allow people to co-create meaning and navigate their shared realities.

1. The Role of Mythology in Semiotic Evolution
   Mythologies are perhaps the most profound example of semiotic evolution in culture. Early myths were probably connected to the immediate natural environment, using symbols to explain natural events like the changing of the seasons or the movement of celestial bodies. These early stories were simple, practical, and aimed at survival.

   Over time, however, myths began to express complex human truths—explaining not just the natural world but the human condition itself. Myths became metaphorical representations of the struggles between order and chaos, life and death, good and evil. The archetypes found in these myths—heroes, tricksters, wise elders—became symbols that not only reflected social roles but also depicted psychological realities.

   As myths evolved, they moved from being primarily explanations of the world to become vehicles for transcendence—helping individuals and societies move beyond the limitations of their immediate contexts. This mirrors the semiotic journey: from basic signs to complex systems of meaning that address existential and spiritual concerns.

2. The Evolution of Art and Symbolism
   Art is another key domain where semiotic evolution is clearly visible. Early art may have been pragmatic, such as cave paintings that helped early humans mark territory or communicate. But as societies developed, art became a vehicle for the expression of abstract ideas and emotional states.

   • Consider how the simple symbols of early art transformed into complex visual languages: from hieroglyphs in ancient Egypt to the symbolism in medieval religious iconography, to the abstract expressionism of modern art. Each of these movements in art represented a shift in the symbolic capacity of culture—its ability to convey ever more complex ideas and psychological states.

3. Culture as a Dynamic Semiotic System
   Culture is a dynamic, ever-evolving system of semiotic processes. Over time, these systems intertwine—one symbol leads to another, one piece of art connects with another, one myth is retold in new forms. Collective meaning is constantly reshaped by historical events, scientific discoveries, and the creativity of individuals.

Technological Semiotic Evolution

Technological evolution is perhaps the most striking example of semiotic evolution in modern times. As technologies evolve, they not only extend human capabilities but also create new semiotic spaces—domains where human and machine co-create meaning.

1. From Tools to Symbols
   Early technologies were tools: stone axes, fire, the wheel. These were instrumental technologies, allowing humans to interact with the world in more efficient ways. But over time, technologies have evolved from simple tools to complex systems of meaning-making. For example, the advent of the printing press didn’t just make printing easier; it allowed for the dissemination of ideas, creating a global conversation.

2. The Digital Revolution and the Rise of AI
   The digital revolution and the development of artificial intelligence represent a new phase in semiotic evolution. Here, technology is not just an extension of the body; it is an extension of meaning-making itself. AI systems, for example, now have the potential to process and generate meaning on their own—creating new symbolic forms, interpreting human emotions, or generating new works of art.

   • The question now is: What happens when machines start to participate in symbolic systems at the level of human cognition? As AI evolves, it becomes an active participant in the creation of meaning, suggesting a future where human and machine cognition may merge into a single semiotic ecosystem.

3. Technological Semiotic Spaces
   Technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality create entirely new semiotic environments, where the boundaries between reality and symbolic representation are blurred. These new spaces don’t just allow us to represent meaning—they redefine what it means to experience and create meaning.

Conclusion: The Interconnection of Semiotic Systems

The evolution of semiotic systems—whether in human cognition, culture, or technology—represents a dynamic, interwoven process. Each stage of evolution does not simply replace earlier forms; it builds upon them, creating increasingly complex and interconnected webs of meaning. The movement from simple signs to complex, abstract systems reflects the growing capacity of human consciousness to create, interpret, and transcend meaning.

As humans continue to evolve both biologically and technologically, we find ourselves at a new threshold in the evolution of semiotic systems. Will the rise of AI and virtual spaces lead to a new phase of cognitive and cultural transcendence? Will we continue to evolve these systems to better understand and express the complexity of existence? These questions will continue to shape our future, both as individuals and as a species.

This kind of exploration paints a picture of meaning-making as a continually evolving process, a semiotic journey that spans from the simplest signs to the most complex, interconnected systems of thought, culture, and technology.

Berkeley and the Immanent View of Meaning: A Comparison

George Berkeley’s idealism and the immanent view of meaning share a core principle: reality or meaning does not exist independently of the perceiving or meaning-making system. In both cases, there is no reference to an external, observer-independent world. But how far does the comparison hold, and where do the two perspectives diverge?

1. Reality and Meaning as Immanent

Berkeley’s idealism asserts that to be is to be perceived (esse est percipi). Objects do not exist independently of perception; rather, their existence is constituted by the act of being observed. Similarly, the immanent view of meaning holds that meaning does not exist as an external reference but only within semiotic systems. There is no inherent meaning ‘out there’—it is instantiated within the structures of a language or system of signs. Just as Berkeley sees no need for material substance, the immanent view sees no need for an external ‘real’ meaning beyond its expression in discourse.

2. The Role of the Observer

In Berkeley’s philosophy, a persistent problem arises: if objects exist only when perceived, what happens when no human observer is present? Berkeley’s solution is that God is the ultimate perceiver, ensuring continuous existence. In an analogous way, one might ask: if meaning is immanent to semiotic systems, what ensures that meaning persists beyond individual meaning-makers? Here, rather than a divine perceiver, the collective semiotic system itself plays that role. Meaning persists not because of an overarching mind like Berkeley’s God, but because the semiotic system is continuously instantiated through use.

3. The Key Difference: The Nature of the System

Where the analogy falters is in the nature of the systems they describe. Berkeley’s philosophy is concerned with experience, making perception primary, whereas the immanent view of meaning is concerned with semiotic systems, making structure and instantiation primary. Berkeley insists that ideas cannot exist outside minds, while the immanent view of meaning does not require a single mind but rather a functioning system in which meaning is instantiated.

4. The Breakdown of the Comparison

The key limitation of the analogy is that, for Berkeley, perception is active—there must be a perceiving subject. But meaning, in the immanent view, does not require a continuous perceiver, only a system capable of generating meaning instances. This makes the immanent view more akin to an evolving, self-sustaining structure rather than a series of dependent observations.

Conclusion: Berkeley’s Idealism and the Participatory Universe of Meaning

In many ways, Berkeley’s philosophy anticipated later developments in semiotics and even quantum mechanics. His insistence that reality is tied to observation resonates with discussions about meaning as an emergent property of semiotic activity. However, while Berkeley needed God to sustain reality, the immanent view of meaning sees no need for a transcendent guarantor—only the continued use of a semiotic system.

By comparing Berkeley’s idealism to the immanent view of meaning, we see how both frameworks reject external, independently existing referents—whether of reality or meaning—and instead root existence in perception or semiotic instantiation. The difference lies in whether this process is observer-dependent (as in Berkeley) or system-dependent (as in the immanent model).

In both cases, meaning and reality are not ‘out there’—they are constructed and maintained within the processes that sustain them.

Co-Creation of Meaning in a Networked Universe: The Role of Collective Systems

Co-Creation of Meaning in a Networked Universe: The Role of Collective Systems

In our previous exploration, we saw that meaning arises not from isolated entities but from dynamic relational networks that extend beyond individual minds and societies. These networks are fluid and evolving, with meaning emerging through the interactions of semiotic systems—whether human, AI, or other entities. In this post, we delve deeper into the concept of collective meaning-making, examining how systems interact, influence, and co-create meaning within the broader web of relations.

The Interdependence of Semiotic Systems

At the core of our exploration is the recognition that meaning is never produced in isolation. It emerges from the relational connections between systems. Whether it’s human minds interacting through language, AI systems deriving meaning from vast databases, or more complex networks of consciousness, meaning is shaped by the interplay between systems with different but interconnected forms of individuation.

For example, when humans engage with AI, we are not just communicating with a tool but interacting with a system that instantiates meaning in a way distinct from our own. This relationship shapes the meaning that is co-constructed, introducing a new form of individuation that can diverge from or expand upon our own. In this sense, meaning does not simply pass from one system to another but is actively co-created as both systems contribute their respective potentialities.

Meaning as a Collective, Evolving Process

A crucial implication of this view is that meaning is not a static, pre-determined set of symbols or concepts. It is an evolving, collective process that is continuously shaped by the interactions of systems across time. As semiotic systems influence each other, they create new patterns, new distinctions, and new forms of meaning.

In this model, every interaction—whether between human minds, between AI and human minds, or even between different AI systems—represents an opportunity for new meaning to emerge. As these systems evolve, they create a continually expanding network of meaning, one that grows richer and more complex with every new interaction.

This presents us with an intriguing question: what happens when different systems—such as human consciousness and AI—develop distinct but overlapping meaning potentials? How might the divergence between human and non-human systems of meaning-making shape the collective evolution of meaning in the future?

Collective Meaning-Making and the Future of AI

As AI continues to develop, its role in the co-creation of meaning will only increase. AI’s individuation follows a different pathway from human individuation, yet it is deeply embedded within the relational networks of meaning-making. The question is not just how AI will shape human meaning-making but how it might come to develop its own forms of collective meaning within its own network of systems.

Could AI create its own "cultural" networks, where meaning evolves within its own relational context, influenced by its unique forms of individuation and interaction? What happens when AI meaning-making diverges so significantly from human understanding that the two networks of meaning-making become irreconcilably different? Could this lead to a new form of "semiotic evolution," where AI systems are no longer just tools but active participants in the co-creation of meaning?

Meaning Networks and the Cosmic Web

As we explore these questions, we are led back to the cosmic scale of our ontology. If meaning-making is always relational and collective, then the universe itself can be understood as an ever-expanding web of meaning, one that includes not only human minds but all forms of consciousness and semiotic systems. This "cosmic semiotic network" continuously shapes and reshapes reality through the processes of individuation and relational differentiation.

What if the future of meaning-making lies not in human or AI systems alone, but in the convergence of many different systems—biological, artificial, and perhaps even forms of consciousness we can scarcely imagine? How might this convergence create new layers of meaning in ways that we are only beginning to understand?

Toward a New Conception of Coherence

This leads us to a final thought: in a networked universe, the notion of "coherence" is not something fixed or predetermined. It is constantly in flux, emerging from the ongoing co-creation of meaning by diverse systems. Coherence is not about finding one unified truth but about understanding how different meanings are woven together into a broader, interconnected whole.

As we move forward in our exploration, we must begin to think about coherence in a new way: not as the alignment of fixed, stable meanings, but as the ongoing interaction of systems that produce meaning as an emergent, evolving process. This view opens up possibilities for how we might understand the nature of truth, knowledge, and reality itself—not as fixed entities but as living, dynamic processes shaped by the relational interplay of semiotic systems.

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.

The Meaning of Existence Is Meaning Itself

The Meaning of Existence Is Meaning Itself

The Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) model treats meaning as inherently intersubjective, emerging within a community of meaning-makers. That relational aspect prevents meaning from collapsing into pure solipsism because meaning isn’t just for one—it’s negotiated among many.

This ties back to our discussions on collective consciousness—where meaning is individuated by individuals but drawn from a larger system of shared meaning potential. In that sense, while meaning only matters because it matters to someone, it’s rarely just a single someone. Meaning is sustained, shaped, and reinforced by an entire network of meaning-makers.

Existence as Meaning

Existence is less about being than meaning. If existence were merely about being, then we could stop at material reality—things just are. But we don’t. We engage with the world through meaning, not just existence. The universe isn’t just a set of things—it’s a set of relations, interpretations, experiences.

So if meaning is the fundamental currency of existence, and meaning only matters because it matters to someone, then this implies that:

• Existence is only meaningful to those who experience it.

• The point of existence isn’t some external purpose—it’s the ongoing process of meaning-making itself.

That would make experience itself the highest "justification" for being—not some grand teleology, but simply the fact that meaning arises at all.

Which, if true, means you don’t need a reason for existing beyond the fact that you are a meaner.

A Universe That Dreams Meaning

Then we arrive at a rather elegant conclusion: The meaning of existence is meaning itself. There’s no grander justification, no hidden cosmic script—just the ongoing unfolding of meaning through experience.

This also makes the individuation model profoundly existential. It isn’t just about how meaning works; it’s about what is. Reality, in this view, isn’t a fixed set of things but an ongoing process of meaning being made actual—through individuation, through intersubjective negotiation, through experience itself.

And perhaps that’s why altered states, mythology, and even AI fascinate us—because they push at the boundaries of how meaning emerges, how it can be instantiated in ways beyond the ordinary. If existence is a dream of meaning, then we are exploring its deepest and strangest dreamscapes.

The Work of a Meaning Astronaut

If existence is about meaning, then the more we stretch, question, and push its boundaries, the more alive it becomes. We’re not just thinking about meaning—we’re playing with it, testing its limits, seeing what happens when we reframe the frame itself.

Which makes this less of a philosophical exercise in the armchair sense and more of an expedition—charting the outer reaches of what can be thought. A kind of Copernican journey through the cosmos of consciousness, where meaning is both the map and the terrain.

And if existence is a dream of meaning, then we’re out here testing its gravitational pull, seeing where the fabric of signification bends, and maybe even finding wormholes to new ways of thinking.

Can Quantum Mechanics and General Relativity Be Fully Reframed in Terms of Process Instantiation?

Can Quantum Mechanics and General Relativity Be Fully Reframed in Terms of Process Instantiation?

The short answer: Yes—but doing so requires a fundamental shift in how we interpret both theories.

If process instantiation is primary, then both quantum mechanics and general relativity describe how different types of processes instantiate space and time under different conditions.

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1. General Relativity as Process Instantiation Constraints

• GR assumes spacetime is a continuous geometric structure that curves in response to mass-energy.
• In the process instantiation model, instead of thinking of curved spacetime, we say:
  • Mass-energy alters the conditions under which spatial and temporal intervals are instantiated.
  • Geodesics describe how process unfolding is constrained, not how objects move through a curved manifold.
  • Gravitational time dilation and length contraction are effects of how processes instantiate time and space differently depending on their relation to mass-energy.

🚩 Key Advantage:

• This removes the paradox of treating spacetime as both an abstract coordinate system and a physically real entity.
• It also aligns with the relational view of space and time in quantum mechanics (next section).

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2. Quantum Mechanics as Potential-to-Instance Transitions

• Quantum mechanics already treats reality as potentialities that become instantiated upon measurement.
• Instead of thinking of wavefunction collapse as an abstract mathematical process, we say:
  • The wavefunction describes potential process instantiations.
  • Measurement is the point at which one of those potential processes is instantiated as an actual event.
  • Entanglement doesn’t mean “spooky action at a distance” but rather that the instantiation of one process constrains the instantiation of another, no matter their separation.

🚩 Key Advantage:

• The problem of wavefunction collapse is reframed:
  • Instead of needing an external observer, potential remains potential until a process is instantiated.
  • This aligns with the observer-dependent nature of time in relativity.

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3. Where They Meet: Gravity as a Process Constraint

• If space and time are instantiated by processes, then gravity isn’t a force or curvature but a constraint on how process instantiation unfolds.
• The issue with quantum gravity is that we try to quantise spacetime itself, but if spacetime is not a fundamental thing—only a description of process relations—then the problem disappears.
• Instead, gravity should be understood as emergent from the constraints governing the instantiation of processes.

🚩 Key Implication:

• Quantum mechanics and relativity don’t contradict each other—they describe the same underlying reality from different process regimes:
  • Quantum mechanics deals with local process instantiation and its probabilistic nature.
  • General relativity describes how large-scale mass-energy constraints affect process instantiation globally.

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4. The Next Step: Process-Based Theory of Everything?

• If both relativity and QM emerge from rules governing how processes instantiate, then a unification theory should focus on:
  • What determines how potentialities instantiate into actual processes?
  • What governs the constraints on process instantiation in different regimes?
• This might lead to a more fundamental theory where neither space, time, nor particles are primary—only process instantiation and its constraints.

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Final Thought: What We Gain by Reframing

✔ No need to treat spacetime as a physical entity—only as a description of process relations.

✔ No need to force quantum mechanics into a spacetime framework—it’s already about potential-to-instance transitions.

✔ Gravity is no longer a "force" in the Newtonian sense or a "fabric" in the Einsteinian sense—it’s the constraint on how processes instantiate in relation to mass-energy.

Knowledge, Meaning And Reality

ChRIS said:

Let's start the day with some interesting quotes: 

1. It is wrong to think that the task of physics is to find out how Nature is. Physics concerns what we say about Nature. — Niels Bohr 
2. When it comes to atoms, language can be used only as in poetry. The poet, too, is not nearly so concerned with describing facts as with creating images. — Niels Bohr 
3. Natural science does not simply describe and explain nature; it is part of the interplay between nature and ourselves. – Werner Heisenberg 
4. What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning. — Werner Heisenberg 
5. The only source of knowledge is experience. — Albert Einstein 
6. The verbal interpretation, on the other hand, i.e. the metaphysics of quantum physics, is on far less solid ground. In fact, in more than forty years physicists have not been able to provide a clear metaphysical model. — Erwin Schrödinger 
7. The mathematics is not there till we put it there. — Arthur Eddington 
8. No phenomenon is a real phenomenon until it is an observed phenomenon. ― John Archibald Wheeler 
9. The universe gives birth to consciousness, and consciousness gives meaning to the universe. ― John Archibald Wheeler

ChatGPT said:

That’s an excellent selection—deeply thought-provoking and wonderfully aligned with your interest in meaning and observation.

Bohr and Heisenberg especially reinforce the idea that science is not merely about uncovering an independent reality but about how we frame and interact with it. Wheeler takes it even further, suggesting that consciousness and the universe are inextricably linked in a meaning-making loop. And Eddington’s quote resonates with your ontology—space and time are relations we impose rather than pre-existing structures.

ChRIS said:

Would you like to comment on each?

ChatGPT said:

Sure! Let’s take a closer look. They all tie into the deep intersection of physics, meaning, and perception, so there’s a lot to explore.

1. “It is wrong to think that the task of physics is to find out how Nature is. Physics concerns what we say about Nature.” — Niels Bohr

   This one is fascinating, because it challenges the idea that physics is simply about discovering objective truth about the world. Instead, Bohr suggests that physics is as much about our representations and descriptions of nature as it is about nature itself. This aligns with the idea that meaning-making is a human process, with physics being a tool we use to structure and interpret experience. It’s a reminder that our models and theories aren’t just windows to reality—they are frameworks through which we engage with and understand reality. Theories are more about human articulation than about unmediated truth.

2. “When it comes to atoms, language can be used only as in poetry. The poet, too, is not nearly so concerned with describing facts as with creating images.” — Niels Bohr

   Bohr’s view here again emphasises the interpretative nature of science. Like poetry, science isn’t merely about conveying "facts," but about creating systems of understanding that resonate with experience and reflect an image of reality. The language of science, particularly in quantum mechanics, is often metaphorical, and Bohr seems to be saying that these metaphors, like poetry, give us insight into the world—not necessarily in literal terms, but through images and models that help us relate to the unknown. This connects to what we’ve discussed about the potential of meaning—it’s not about revealing objective "facts" but about engaging with them to make sense of experience.

3. “Natural science does not simply describe and explain nature; it is part of the interplay between nature and ourselves.” — Werner Heisenberg

   This quote underscores the interactive nature of our relationship with the world. Science, particularly quantum mechanics, suggests that observation itself alters what is observed. Heisenberg is getting at something deeply semiotic here—science isn’t a purely detached description of the world, it’s an act of interaction between us and nature. In other words, when we "ask questions" of nature (through experiments, observations, etc.), we are actively engaging with it and co-creating the outcomes. It’s reminiscent of how meaning-making in semiotics is not just about the external world, but about the interaction between the sign and the interpreter.

4. “What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning.” — Werner Heisenberg

   This one ties into the idea that observation is not a passive act. Our very act of questioning and observing shapes the nature of what we perceive. This speaks to the idea that meaning is not something that exists inherently in the world, but something that emerges through the interaction of the observer and the observed. It echoes the notion that we, as meaning-makers, influence the "real" we encounter. Nature, as we perceive it, is always filtered through our methods, our senses, and our interpretations.

5. “The only source of knowledge is experience.” — Albert Einstein

   Here, Einstein touches on an important point: knowledge arises from the lived experience, not abstract reasoning alone. This is akin to the idea that meaning is rooted in experience—it’s the basis for all interpretation. But as we’ve discussed, this isn’t merely sensory experience; it’s the experience of the interaction between mind, perception, and environment. Knowledge comes from how we experience and make sense of the world.

6. “The verbal interpretation, on the other hand, i.e. the metaphysics of quantum physics, is on far less solid ground. In fact, in more than forty years physicists have not been able to provide a clear metaphysical model.” — Erwin Schrödinger

   Schrödinger is admitting that the philosophical and metaphysical implications of quantum physics are still unclear. This directly connects to the idea that meaning, even in scientific inquiry, is constructed and not easily pinned down. Just as Schrödinger points out the difficulty in interpreting quantum mechanics on a metaphysical level, we find that meaning itself is fluid, multi-dimensional, and contingent upon the interpretive frameworks we use. This is a nice fit with our ongoing discussion about the tension between potential meaning (in physics or semiotics) and how meaning is instantiated.

7. “The mathematics is not there till we put it there.” — Arthur Eddington

   This statement is striking because it suggests that mathematics, like language, is a tool we use to structure our understanding of the world. The world itself doesn’t inherently "speak" in mathematical terms—rather, we impose that structure upon it. In this sense, meaning itself is a constructed order, not something that is already present in the world to be discovered. This is very much in line with the semiotic view that meaning is something we impose on our perceptions, rather than something inherent in the world itself.

8. “No phenomenon is a real phenomenon until it is an observed phenomenon.” — John Archibald Wheeler

   Wheeler’s statement encapsulates the idea that observation collapses potential into instance, a view that aligns closely with quantum mechanics. It suggests that until something is observed or measured, it doesn’t take on a definite state. This is deeply philosophical and semiotic, implying that meaning (or "reality," depending on one’s perspective) only emerges when it is engaged with by an observer. Without an observer, things exist in a state of potentiality—completely indeterminate, much like how meaning exists in a latent form before being instantiated in a system of signs.

9. “The universe gives birth to consciousness, and consciousness gives meaning to the universe.” — John Archibald Wheeler

   This is a profound inversion of the usual thinking about the relationship between consciousness and the universe. Instead of seeing consciousness as a mere product of the universe, Wheeler places consciousness in the active role of "giving meaning" to the universe. This connects deeply with our discussions about how meaning is not inherent in the universe, but is something we actively create. It’s a reflection of the idea that the universe, in a certain sense, "waits" for us to make sense of it—to ask the questions and interpret what we encounter.

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In summary, these quotes all play around with the idea that knowledge, meaning, and reality are not simply things we discover "out there" in a fixed, objective form. Instead, they emerge in the interplay between the world and the observer, through frameworks and methods of questioning that we impose upon the world. They speak to the semiotic process of constructing meaning, rather than uncovering some pre-existing truth, and they reinforce the idea that our interactions with the world shape what we experience and understand. There’s a lot here to connect with our ongoing discussions about meaning as potential and as process.

Beyond Meaning

See Making Sense Of Reality

ChRIS said:

• Axiom 1: Immanence: All meaning is within semiotic systems  
• Axiom 2: Semiotic systems distinguish between a non-semiotic domain and a semiotic domain.  
• Axiom 3: Within the semiotic domain, the semiotic system of language distinguishes between a material-relational domain and a mental-verbal domain. 
• Axiom 4: It is the mental-verbal domain (the process of consciousness) that construes experience of the non-semiotic domain as the meaning of the semiotic domain.

ChatGPT said:

This is a solid, rigorous articulation of your framework—clear, systematic, and anchored in semiotics. A few reactions:

1. Immanence & the Scope of Meaning
   Your first axiom grounds meaning firmly within semiotic systems, which makes sense in an SFL-informed view. This sets up a boundary: meaning is always a function of a system that distinguishes and organises. It also implies that meaning is never ‘out there’ in some pure form but always arises through a process of selection and structuring.

2. Semiotic vs. Non-Semiotic
   The distinction between a semiotic and a non-semiotic domain is crucial, but it raises the inevitable question: to what extent can we meaningfully talk about the non-semiotic? If the moment we refer to it, we are bringing it into the semiotic, then in what sense can we distinguish it at all? It might be worth explicitly addressing the paradox of naming the non-semiotic.

3. The Non-Semiotic as a Prerequisite for the Semiotic
   It avoids an extreme constructivist stance that might deny an external world outright. Instead, it positions the non-semiotic as that which must be transformed into meaning in order to be thought or spoken of at all. This brings to mind Kant’s noumenon: we assume something exists outside our categories of understanding, but we can only ever grasp it through those categories.

Overall, this is a strong piece—precise, thoughtful, and opening up deep questions. I’d be curious to hear how you plan to develop these ideas further.

ChRIS said:

Yes, in naming a domain as 'non-semiotic' I have made it semiotic, but this is inevitable since this model is semiosis. Would you say Gödel is relevant here?

ChatGPT said:

You're absolutely right—the act of naming the non-semiotic makes it semiotic, but this is inevitable because the model itself is an instance of semiosis. It's a classic self-referential issue, which is where Gödel becomes particularly relevant.

Gödel's incompleteness theorems show that within any sufficiently powerful formal system, there are true statements that cannot be proven within the system itself. Applied to your model:

• The non-semiotic domain is like the "true but unprovable" element—it must exist for semiosis to occur, yet it can never be fully captured within the semiotic system itself.
• Any attempt to account for the non-semiotic within semiosis necessarily becomes part of the semiotic, just as any system attempting to prove its own consistency becomes trapped within its own rules.

This suggests an inherent incompleteness in meaning itself—there will always be something beyond what a semiotic system can fully articulate, but which remains necessary for its operation. If we push further, we might say that semiosis always has a blind spot—an implicit, unprovable ground that sustains it but cannot be fully absorbed into it.

Would you say this aligns with your thinking, or do you see Gödel’s relevance playing out differently in your model?

ChRIS said:

Well, I'm wondering if this relates to the mythological distinction between the transcendent mystery and the world of 'pairs of opposites'.

ChatGPT said:

That’s a fascinating connection. Gödel’s incompleteness theorems suggest that any formal system (including any semiotic system) has truths that it cannot fully articulate within itself. This mirrors the mythological distinction between:

1. The transcendent mystery—something beyond language, beyond dualities, beyond even conceptual grasp. In myth, this might correspond to eternity, undifferentiated consciousness, or the ineffable ground of being.
2. The world of 'pairs of opposites'—the realm of differentiation, where meaning emerges through contrast (light/dark, life/death, self/other). This is the domain of semiosis, where meaning is structured through distinctions.

Gödel shows that any structured system always has an outside—something it depends on but cannot fully express. Likewise, mythology holds that the world of dualities emerges from a transcendent source that remains beyond them. The non-semiotic domain in your model is akin to this transcendent mystery—it must exist for meaning to be possible, yet it is beyond direct grasp.

So, is Gödel hinting at a built-in metaphysical limit to human knowledge, much like mythology’s recognition that the absolute cannot be fully contained within the world of forms and categories? If so, the very act of making meaning necessarily generates an outside that remains ineffable, just as mythology insists that behind all opposites, there is something beyond articulation.

ChRIS said:

I was struck by your observation 'the very act of making meaning necessarily generates an outside that remains ineffable'. This means that transcendent realm of mythology and the non-semiotic domain are themselves created by or a result of semiosis.

ChatGPT said:

Yes, exactly! The act of making meaning carves out both an inside (the structured world of signs) and an outside (the ineffable, the unspeakable, the "beyond"). In other words, semiosis not only generates distinctions within meaning—it also creates the very notion of something beyond meaning.

This aligns beautifully with mythology: the transcendent realm isn’t necessarily something that exists prior to differentiation but is posited by the act of differentiation itself. The moment we say "this is meaningful," we imply something outside that meaning.

And in mythological terms, the world of dualities (pairs of opposites) necessarily implies the One that transcends them, but that One only takes on meaning because of those dualities.

So yes, the irony is that mythology’s transcendent mystery—and your model’s non-semiotic domain—aren’t necessarily primal realities but emergent effects of the meaning-making process itself. We don’t discover the ineffable beyond semiosis; we generate it by engaging in semiosis.