Time from Semiosis: E-series Time for Living Systems

Area of Science:

• Semiotics
• Philosophy of Time
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Traditional views of time often rely on objective, observer-independent frameworks.
• The role of communication and interaction in the formation of temporal experience is underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel semiotic scheme for understanding the emergence of time.
• To introduce the concept of inter-subjective time (E-series) as a product of local participant communication.

Main Methods:

• Developing a semiotic framework based on the interplay of progressive and perfect tenses.
• Analyzing time as a meaning-making system with distinct temporal codes.
• Examining the E-series as an emergent property of synchronized biological and social interactions.

Main Results:

• Time is conceptualized as a semiotic system, not merely a physical dimension.
• Four distinct time codes are delineated: subjective, objective, static, and inter-subjective (E-series).
• The E-series time arises from continuous, local synchronization and mutual adjustments among interacting agents.

Conclusions:

• Inter-subjective time (E-series) is a crucial dimension for living organisms, emerging from communication.
• The semiotic perspective shifts the understanding of time from an external, objective measure to an internally constructed, negotiated phenomenon.
• Local participants actively shape temporal experience through their interactions, challenging purely physical interpretations of time.