Interactive Diagrams for Charles S. Peirce’s Classifications of Signs

Abstract

This article presents the first results of a research on visual models for the classifications of semiotic processes. The main issue discussed is how a graphic design methodology, associated with computer graphics resources, may contribute to the construction of interactive models, that can be used as tools for the investigation of C. S. Peirce theory of signs. Two models are presented: the first (10cubes) is an interactive 3–D model of Peirce’s 3-trichotomic (10 classes) classification; the second (3N3) is a computer program that builds diagrams for any n–trichotomic classification of signs, and facilitates the analysis and comparison of different hypothesis regarding their structures.