Overview

We usually think of signs as fixed relations: a red light signifies 'Stop'. In his bold new book, James Williams argues that signs are processes: you see the red light and think 'should I stop?', triggering a creative response. Williams develops this new process philosophy of signs through a formal model , in contrast to earlier structuralist definitions. He draws on the philosophies of Deleuze and Whitehead, criticises earlier work on the sign in biology by Jakob von Uexkll, and connects to contemporary work on process in the philosophy of biology by John Dupre. The process model has wide applications in the arts, humanities and social sciences, and informs their critical debates with science. In defining the sign as essentially political, this radical definition of the sign opens up new possibilities for social and political critique.

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9780748695010

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Reviews

In this book, James Williams develops his own approach to, and understanding of, what constitutes process and how this can be dealt with philosophically. All of this unfolds within a very careful and insightful reconfiguring of the status of signs. This unfolding is one of the most informative and innovative aspects of this work... A coherent and convincing account, which offers a real contribution. -- Michael Halewood, University of Essex, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

In this book, James Williams develops his own approach to, and understanding of, what constitutes process and how this can be dealt with philosophically. All of this unfolds within a very careful and insightful reconfiguring of the status of signs. This unfolding is one of the most informative and innovative aspects of this work... A coherent and convincing account, which offers a real contribution.--Michael Halewood, University of Essex ""Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews"" In this brilliant, insightful and hugely readable book James Williams draws on the work of Whitehead and Deleuze, amongst many others, to introduce a new way of thinking about signs. As multiplicities of intensive relations that are continually changing, signs are shown to have a life of their own that courses through us even before we set about using them or analysing their meaning. Williams has made a huge contribution to our understanding of how signs both support and disrupt our sense of the world.--David Webb, Staffordshire University Internationally renowned Deleuze specialist James Williams develops in this work his original philosophy of signs. A processual, clear and incisive inquiry, discussing analytical and structural formalism, ecological semiology and political issues. A great metaphysical achievement.--Anne Sauvagnargues, University Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense (Paris 10)

In this book, James Williams develops his own approach to, and understanding of, what constitutes process and how this can be dealt with philosophically. All of this unfolds within a very careful and insightful reconfiguring of the status of signs. This unfolding is one of the most informative and innovative aspects of this work... A coherent and convincing account, which offers a real contribution. -- Michael Halewood, University of Essex, <em>Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews</em>

"In this book, James Williams develops his own approach to, and understanding of, what constitutes process and how this can be dealt with philosophically. All of this unfolds within a very careful and insightful reconfiguring of the status of signs. This unfolding is one of the most informative and innovative aspects of this work... A coherent and convincing account, which offers a real contribution. --Michael Halewood, University of Essex ""Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews """

Author Information

James Williams is Professor of European Philosophy at the University of Dundee.

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