Umberto Eco, Theory of Semiotics Quotes

A collection of quotes by Umberto Eco, Theory of Semiotics.

Umberto Eco (1932-2016) was an Italian philosopher, semiotician, and author, best known for his groundbreaking work in the field of semiotics. His influential book "Theory of Semiotics" (1975) explored the role of signs and symbols in communication, examining how meaning is assigned and interpreted in various cultural contexts. Eco's interdisciplinary approach to semiotics greatly contributed to the development of this field of study and established him as a leading figure in the academic world. Moreover, he is famous for his novels, including "The Name of the Rose" and "Foucault's Pendulum," which showcased his vast knowledge and literary flair.

Semiotics is concerned with everything that can be taken as a sign. A sign is everything which can be taken as significantly substituting for something else. This something else does not necessarily have to exist or to actually be somewhere at the moment in which a sign stands in for it. Thus semiotics is in principle the discipline studying everything which can be used in order to lie. If something cannot be used to tell a lie, conversely it cannot be used to tell the truth; it cannot in fact be used 'to tell' at all. I think that the definition of a 'theory of the lie' should be taken as a pretty comprehensive program for a general semiotics.

Umberto Eco, Theory of Semiotics

Deception/lying