Signs in Action

Signs emerge in the flow of experiencing. This is the first move toward abstractive generalization as emphasized by Karl Bühler—every creation of a sign involves the process of abstraction. Given our focus on dynamic semiosis, this abstraction process begins in irreversible time flow from pleromatic signification that creates the duality of experience flow ➔ reflection on the flow of experience. The emerging sign makes reflection upon the experience and the experiencing itself possible in parallel. I feel something—no sign emerged yet—and it is fascinating (a pleromatic sign field has emerged). This can be followed by schematization (“oh, it is X”) or further pleromatization (“I cannot express in words what I feel”). The chapter also includes focus on hypergeneralization.