Toward a biosemiotics framework for AI: Folding and the dynamics of meaning

Abstract

This paper is dedicated to the intersections between folding and semiotics, serving as a meta-commentary on Howard Pattee’s “Symbol grounding precedes interpretation” (2021), a response to Terrence Deacon’s work, that was further elaborated in 2023. Framed within a context of recursive self-reflection, the paper scrutinizes folding as a fundamental semiotic activity and elementary semiotic modelling, drawing connections to Pattee’s proposition regarding protein folding as a precursor to semiosis and interpretation. Central to this discourse is the assertion that folding serves not only as a foundational prerequisite for semiosis but also as a potent modelling system. Through a multidisciplinary lens, the paper elucidates how folding manifests as a modelling mechanism across diverse domains from biology to syntax. Notably, the paper proposes an application of folding principles in AI. By navigating the framework of folding as semiotic modelling, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the foundational mechanisms of signification and interpretation in semiotic systems.