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You are here: Home / Robert Long / A Semiotic Map for Safety

A Semiotic Map for Safety

June 15, 2021 by Dr Rob Long 2 Comments

A Semiotic Map for Safety

When we understand the world semiotically as Lotman articulates, we don’t see a biosphere but we see a semiosphere . This changes how one ‘sees’ the world. We envision the world ‘differently’ (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/envisioning-risk-seeing-vision-and-meaning-in-risk/). For a semiotician, objects are no longer understood as engineering designed ‘things’ but rather that in each ‘thing’ we see a sign and/or symbol of something else. In this way, all objects have tacit meaning and say more than themselves (Polanyi) and they say so unconsciously.

In order to understand a semiotic worldview I have constructed a map, because semiotics is best understood semiotically. It is through such a worldview that semioticians like Lotman understand culture (Lotman, J., (2010) The Unpredictable Workings of Culture, TLU Press, Tallin). Lotman is the founder of the idea that the world is a semiosphere. All of this is a long long way away from the simplistic notion that culture is about behaviours.

To help understand the semiosphere we view three areas of analysis: Natural Life, Artificial Life and Supernatural Life, this helps give what we see a place and classification. All that we live in and see in the world is mapped in Figure 1. The Semiosphere.

in Figure 1. The Semiosphere.

image

When we understand the world semiotically we no longer understand the world of objects as objectively neutral. All objects as signs/symbols say much more about life and being than themselves, all imbued with a philosophical source. We may not realize it but the most successful movies of all time are consistently about supernatural and artificial life, some of the symbols of this life are pictured on the map.

When one starts to study semiotics the sky is the limit. The next Map Figure 2. Studies in Semiotics shows all the schools of thought within semiotics. One of the best places to study semiotics is Tartu University (https://www.flfi.ut.ee/en/department-semiotics). Just explore the curriculum for a second and you will understand the depth and strength of this discipline. If you want to learn more, this blog is helpful: https://semioticon.com/semiotix/

Figure 2. Studies in Semiotics

clip_image004

Once one can put all this in perspective then one gets a different view in understanding risk.

One then ‘looks’ at all of the semiotics used in risk and safety and sees very different things from what is intended by the naïve approach that suggests the neutrality of objects. Hopefully these maps give some idea about what Safety doesn’t know and doesn’t want to know.

In the Social Psychology of Risk (SPoR) we offer several modules on understanding risk semiotically (https://cllr.com.au/register-to-study/ ). These studies enable participants to be wise about the application of semiotics in risk and safety thereby enabling a constructive and positive approach to risk that ensures consistency and congruence in messaging (https://safetyrisk.net/congruence-in-messaging-in-safety/ ).

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Dr Rob Long

Dr Rob Long

Expert in Social Psychology, Principal & Trainer at Human Dymensions
Dr Rob Long

Latest posts by Dr Rob Long (see all)

  • Culture Silences in Safety Symbolism - May 19, 2022
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  • Working Out What Makes Sense in Safety - May 9, 2022
Dr Rob Long
PhD., MEd., MOH., BEd., BTh., Dip T., Dip Min., Cert IV TAA, MRMIA Rob is the founder of Human Dymensions and has extensive experience, qualifications and expertise across a range of sectors including government, education, corporate, industry and community sectors over 30 years. Rob has worked at all levels of the education and training sector including serving on various post graduate executive, post graduate supervision, post graduate course design and implementation programs.

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Filed Under: Robert Long, Semiotics, Social Psychology of Risk Tagged With: unconscious communicaton

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Comments

  1. Brian says

    June 15, 2021 at 2:32 PM

    Hi Rob, great blog and yes i agree once we start understanding things semiotically we see the world in a different way and understand the significance of what we see. Although I have only touched the surface of semiotics it has become one of my favorite subjects.

    Reply
    • Rob Long says

      June 15, 2021 at 6:59 PM

      Yes Brian and semiotics is only one sub-set of SPoR, there is much much more that could make a huge positive difference for safety. But the industry doesn’t want to know, if prefers brutalism.

      Reply

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