Meaning and meaning fields: A theory from semiotics, sociology, and semantics through the example of powerand law

Abstract

Table of Contents 0\. INTRODUCTION 1\. MEANING AS CATEGORY 1.1 Distinction 1.2 Rudimentary vs complex meanings 1.3 Conclusion 2\. NON-DUALISTIC MEANING 2.1 Dualism of meaning vs world 2.2 Non-Dualism of meaning 2.2.1 Psycho- communicative silence vs reflection 2.2.2 Dualism’s contradiction 2.2.3 Variations of Dualism’s contradiction 2.2.4 Dualism’s infinite regress 2.2.5 Ontology and language in Non-Dualism 2.2.6 Dualism’s options after Non- Dualism’s criticism 2.2.7 Non-Dualism’s characterization 2.3 Dualism’s re- entry creates Non-Dualism 2.3.1 Non-dualistic unity 2.3.2 Non-dualistic distinction 2.3.3 An artistic illustration of Dualism and Non-Dualism 2.3.4 Unfolding the paradox 2.4 Time and process in Non-Dualism 2.4.1 Meanings up to now and from now on 2.4.2 Medium, forms, and systems 2.4.3 The degree of connectivity and robustness of descriptions 2.5 Methodological and semiotic applications 2.5.1 Methodological applications of Non-Dualism 2.5.2 A non- dualistic semiotic triangle 3\. MEANING IN THE SEMIOTIC TRIANGLE 3.1 Referent and extension 3.1.1 Referent 3.1.2 Extension 3.2 Signifier and onomasiology 3.2.1 Signifier 3.2.2 Onomasiology 3.3 Signifier and classification 3.4 Meaning and intension 3.4.1 Meaning 3.4.2 Decompositional intension 3.4.3 Compositional intension 3.5 Meaning and semasiology 3.6 Meaning and interpretation 3.7 Meaning and meaning divergence 3.7.1 Meaning divergence 3.7.2 Consequences of meaning divergence 4\. MEANING AS PROTOTYPICAL CATEGORY 4.1 Meaning as category 4.2 Meaning as prototypical category 4.3 A prototype model for the Social Sciences 5\. MEANING AS FIELD 5.1 Meaning fields as intermediate meso-level 5.2 Meaning fields: Emic or etic? Real or constructed? 5.2.1 The emic vs etic debate 5.2.2 The realist vs constructivist debate 5.3 Types of meaning fields 5.4 Meaning fields as prototypical fields 5.4.1 The structure of a single meaning field 5.4.2 Frames and scripts as meaning fields’ prototypical centers 5.5 Relations between meaning fields 5.5.1 Exclusion and inclusion 5.5.2 Overlap 5.6 Methodological and methodical proposals 5.6.1 Types of descriptions 5.6.2 Sources of descriptions 5.6.3 Methods for the collection of descriptions 6\. ACTIVATION OF MEANINGS AND MEANING FIELDS 6.1 Medium, forms, and meaning fields 6.1.1 Medium vs forms 6.1.2 Meaning fields as medium 6.1.3 Social Science applications 6.2 Activation and non-activation 6.2.1 Phases of activation 6.2.2 Non-activation 6.2.3 The example of power and law 6.3 Activation modes 6.3.1 Degrees of intensity of activation 6.3.2 Activation of different types of meaning fields 6.3.3 Communicative vs psychic activation 6.3.4 Actor-speaker vs observer- hearer activation 6.3.5 Time-reference in activation 6.4 Co-activation 6.4.1 Inference-based co-activation 6.4.2 Meaning field-based co-activation 6.5 Co- activated meaning fields as world-framers 6.5.1 Co-activated fields as Sonderwelten 6.5.2 Co-activated fields as definitions of the situation 6.5.3 Co-activated fields as selectors of meanings from now on 7\. EXTRODUCTION 7.1 Retrospect 7.2 Prospect BIBLIOGRAPHY ANNEX Summary Author Epilog