The active condition of any sign system is quite similar to the
condition of tools. The hand that throws a stone is a hand
influenced by the stone. Levers, hammers, pliers, no less than
telescopes, pens, vending machines, and computers support
practical experiences, but also affect the individuals
constituting themselves through their use. A gesture, a written
mark, a whisper, body movements, words written or read, express
us or communicate for us, at the same time affecting those
constituted in them. How language affects work means, therefore,
how language affects the human being within a pragmatic
framework. To deal with some aspects of this extremely difficult
problem we can start with the original syncretic condition of the
human being.
Innate heuristics
Conceptual tools that can be used to refer to the human being in
its syncretic condition exist only to the degree to which we
identify them in language. In every system we know of, variety
and precision are complementary. Indeed, whether human beings
hunt or present personal experiences to others, they attempt to
optimize their efforts. Too many details affect efficiency;
insufficient detail affects the outcome. There seems to be a
structural relation of the nature of one to many, between our
what and our how. This relation is scrutinized in the pragmatic
context where efficiency considerations finally make us choose
from among many possibilities.
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