reference & representation 1 of 7

Interpreting the Signs

If cognition is essentially a form of communication, then representations are essentially forms of reference like the signs described by Peirce and Deacon. In his model of signs and reference, Deacon illustrates how one form of reference evolves into another. Using a modified version of that model, we can describe the relationships among types of reference, which can then inform our description of the relationships among types of representation.