Thrownness

The concepts of symbol and object are etymologically linked because -bol- and -ject- respectively represent the Greek and Latin roots for ‘throwing.’ The object is ‘thrown against’ (indicating Secondness, which Peirce also calls ‘Obsistence’ or ‘Reaction’), while the symbol is ‘thrown together’ (representing Thirdness).

The genuine sign must represent something else, i.e. there must be a difference between object and sign. The object is thrown against your project, or your project is thrown against (‘projected onto’) the object – either way, each collides with the other in being Second to it. But entering into triadic relation transforms collision into collusion.

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