Abstracts
Abstract
Information is central to modern economics, but mostly treated in a disembodied form. The paper suggests a semiotic approach to information that interprets information in terms of thermodynamic information theory. This builds on C. S. Peirce’s concept of finality, relating final causes to energetic transformations in the economy, which operate in the efficient-causal mode. I substantiate this argument in a semiotic analysis of design as mediating such transformations via technology.
Keywords:
- Semantic Information,
- Thermodynamics,
- Peirce,
- Final Causes,
- Technological Design
Résumé
L’information est au coeur de l’économie moderne, mais elle est le plus souvent traitée sous une forme désincarnée. L’auteur propose une approche sémiotique qui interprète l’information à l’aide de la théorie thermodynamique. Cette approche s’appuie sur le concept de finalité de C. S. Peirce, qui relie les causes finales aux transformations énergétiques dans l’économie, lesquelles fonctionnent sur le mode efficacité-causalité. Cet argument est étayé par une analyse sémiotique du design comme médiateur de ces transformations par la technologie.
Mots-clés :
- Information sémantique,
- thermodynamique,
- Peirce,
- causes finales,
- design technologique
Appendices
Bibliography
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