
Signs in the Dust
A Theory of Natural Culture and Cultural Nature
Nathan Lyons(Author)
Oxford University Press Inc
Published on 2. May 2019
Book
Hardback
272 pages
978-0-19-094126-0 (ISBN)
Description
Modern thought is characterized by a dichotomy of meaningful culture and unmeaning nature. Signs in the Dust uses medieval semiotics to develop a new theory of nature and culture that resists this familiar picture of things. Through readings of Thomas Aquinas, Nicholas of Cusa, and John Poinsot (John of St. Thomas), it offers a semiotic analysis of human culture in both its anthropological breadth as an enterprise of creaturely sign-making, and its theological height as a finite participation in the Trinity, which can be understood as an absolute 'cultural nature'. Signs in the Dust then extends this account of human culture backwards into the natural depth of biological and physical nature. It puts the biosemiotics of its medieval sources, along with Felix Ravaisson's philosophy of habit, into dialogue with the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis that is emerging in contemporary biology, to show how all living things participate in semiosis, so that that a cultural dimension is present through the whole order of nature and the whole of natural history. It also retrieves Aquinas' doctrine of intentions in the medium to show how signification can be attributed in a diminished way to even inanimate nature, with the ontological implication that being as such should be reconceived in semiotic terms. The phenomena of human culture are therefore to be understood not as breaks with a meaningless nature, but instead as heightenings and deepenings of natural movements of meaning that long precede and far exceed us. Against the modern divorce of nature and culture, Signs in the Dust argues that culture is natural and nature is cultural, through and through.
Reviews / Votes
[an] elegant study ... with equal parts earnestness, rigor, and serenity, Lyons puts a comprehensive vision before our eyes from which it is hard to turn away. * Daniel J. Pedersen, Philosophy, Theology and the Sciences *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
573 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-094126-0 (9780190941260)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
02/2019
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€52.49
Available for download

E-Book
02/2019
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€40.49
Available for download
Person
Nathan Lyons is a lecturer in philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, Australia. He previously held postdoctoral positions at Durham University and the University of Cambridge.
Author
Lecturer in PhilosophyLecturer in Philosophy, University of Notre Dame Australia
Content
Abbreviations Introduction: Dust and Signs Part I- Culture Chapter 1- Sign: Culture as Signification in John Poinsot Chapter 2- Word: Culture in the Trinity in Thomas Aquinas Chapter 3- Art: Culture as Participation in Nicholas of Cusa Part Two- Nature Chapter 4- Biosemiosis: The Biological Depth of Culture Chapter 5- Habit: The Embodiment of Culture in Felix Ravaisson Chapter 6- Evolution: The Art of Nature Chapter 7- Pattern: The Meanings of Matter Chapter 8- Dust: The Perfections of Matter Conclusion: Natural Culture, Cultural Nature Bibliography