Abstract
This study explores how those who control media create signs capable of equating the knowledge of experts with the beliefs and opinions of spokes persons who present an opposing point-of-view. Semiotic analyses of programming strategies that present opposing opinions from differing world-views demonstrate media practices and raise ethical questions about representations that facilitate social discourse affecting society's acceptance of new understandings derived from science. In addition several key concepts will be addressed that demonstrate how new work in neuroscience support Peirce's semiotic concepts including semiosis, the interpretant, and “law of mind.”
About the author
Elliot Gaines (b. 1950) is a professor at Wright State University 〈elliot.gaines@wright.edu〉. His research interests include semiotics and media. His publications include “Communication and the semiotics of space” (2006); “The narrative semiotics of ‘The Daily Show’ ” (2007); “Media literacy and semiotics: Toward a future taxonomy of meaning” (2008); and Media literacy and semiotics (2010).
©2014 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston
