A Biosemiotic Approach to Health

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingBook chapterResearch

  • Jesper Hoffmeyer
By replacing the traditional chemical approach to the understanding of body function by a sign-theoretic or semiotic approach, biosemiotics enters a no-man’s-land between biological and social domains of human life. The aim is not to subsume the social under the biological or vice versa; both approaches are invaluable. The aim is to find a common platform that serves in treating human persons as undivided wholes. Since semiosis (viz. the meaningful interpretation of cues, signals, events or states) is vital to communication at both levels, the resulting sign-process is a viable choice as the basis for an integrated theory of health.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSignifying Bodies. : Biosemiotics, Interaction, and Health
EditorsStephen Cowley, João Major, Sune Steffensen, Alfredo Dini
Number of pages21
Volume1
Place of PublicationPortuguese Catholic University, Braga
PublisherThe Faculty of Philosophy of Braga
Publication date2010
Edition1.
Pages21-41
ISBN (Print)978-972-697-191-7
Publication statusPublished - 2010

ID: 21385951