Hi,
(*1*) When I proposed the notion of the isomorphism between cell language
(or cellese for short) and the human language (or humanese) in 1997 [1, 2,
3], one of the most striking features of both languages that caught my
attention was the phenomenon of double articulations, i.e., letters forming
words (2nd articulation) and words forming sentences (1st articulation).
In both languages, the second articulation (i.e., covalent bond in
cellese) is much more difficult to alter than the first articulation (i.e.,
non-covalent bonds).. Interestingly, this is also true in quantum
mechanics (see cosmese, or the *cosmic language*, in *Table 1*)
(*2*) The phenomena of double articulations in *humanese*, *cellese*, and
*cosmese* (i.e., t*he means of communication between the Universe and its
components, including Homo sapiens, and between its components*) are
defined in the upper portion of Table 1.
(*3*) The phenomenon of double articulation is semiotics (or logic) is not
as clear as in the other cases, primarily because Peircean semiotics, as I
understand it, is based on two kinds of signs -- 9 types and 10 classes --
without the third kind that is needed to complete the double
articulations. For convenience, I designated this third kind with the
symbol X in *Table 1. * It is possible that Peirce's writings mention
something similar to or identical with X but I am ignorant of it.
*Table 1*. The postulate that the principle of double articulation
underlies all organizations in the
Universe.
Organization
*Humanese*
*Cellese*
*Cosmese*
*First Articulation*
Words
|
|
V
Sentences
1D Structures
|
|
V
3 D Structures
Baryons
|
|
V
Molecules
*Second Articulation*
Letters
|
|
V
Words
Molecules
|
|
V
1 D Structures
Quarks
|
|
V
Baryons
*Force*
* ‘Semantic’***
*‘Cell force’**
*Strong and Electroweak forces*
*Field of Study*
*Linguistics*
*Biology*
*Physics/Chemistry*
*Semiotics:*
* 9 Sign Types -----------> 10 Sign Classes ----------------> X *
* ('Elementary signs') ('Composite signs') ('Complex
signs') *
*ITR(Irreducible Triadic Relation)*
* f
g*
* Cosmese -----------> Cellese
------------> Humanese*
* |
^ |
|
|
| |____________________________________|*
* h*
* f** = biogenesis*
* g** = semiogenesis (?)*
* h** = information flow*
*Defined as the new kind of force in nature that is postulated to be
responsible for organizing the physicochemical processes inside the cell so
as to maintain life despite the destructive power of thermal motions, just
as the strong force maintain the structure of the atomic nuclei despite the
electrostatic repulsions among protons [5].
**Used here for the first time and defined as the 'force' that holds
together the elements of a language (i.e., letters, words, sentences) so
that they can signify or be meaningful, just as the strong force holds
together nucleons (protons and neutrons) within atomic nuclei despite the
electrostatic repulsion among protons.
(*4*) It is interesting to note that *Semiotics* does not fit in nicely
with the three special sciences of *linguistics*,* biology *and* physics* that
occupy the three *columns* side by side in the upper portion of *Table 1*
but instead resides in one of the *rows* in the table, indicating that
semiotics is ORTHOGONAL to (or cannot be replaced by) special sciences.
(*5*) Finally, the question naturally arises as to the possible relation
among the four fields of inquiries -- *humanese*, *cellese*, *cosmese*, and
*semiotics*. One possibility is is depicted in the lower portion of *Table
1*, suggesting that the principle of ITR (Irreducible Triadic Relation),
the heart of Peircean semiotics, may provide the needed overarching
theoretical framework for integrating and organizing these distinct
disciplines.
All the best.
Sung
Sungchul Ji, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
Rutgers University
Piscataway, N.J. 08855
732-445-4701
www.conformon.net
Referecnes:
[1] S. Ji (1997). Isomorphism between cell and human languages: molecular
biological, bioinformatics and linguistic implications. *BioSystems* *44*:
17-39. PDF at http://www.conformon.net under Publications > Refereed
Journal Articles.
[2] S. Ji (1999). The Linguistics of DNA: Words, Sentences, Grammar,
Phonetics, and
Semantics. *Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci*. *870: *411-41. PDF at
http://www.conformon.net under Publications > Refereed Journal Articles.
[3] Ji, S. (2001). Isomorphism between Cell and Human Languages: Micro-
and
Macrosemiotics. In: Semiotics 2000: “Sebeok’s Century” (S. Simpkins, and J.
Deely, eds.). Legas, Ottawa, pp. 357-374.
PDF at http://www.conformon.net under Publications > Proceedings.
[4] S. Ji (2002). Microsemiotics of DNA. *Semiotica* *138*(1/4):15-42. PDF
at http://www.conformon.net under Publications > Refereed Journal Articles.
[5] S. Ji (1991). Biocybernetics: A Machine Theory of Biology, in *Molecular
Theories of Cell Life and Death* (S. Ji, ed.), Rutgers University Press,
New Brunswick, pp. 1-237.
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