Natural Laws of Semiotics: A Physical-Theoretical Approach
Author:
Alexander Eist
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3273-7770
Affiliation: Independent Researcher, Prague, Czech Republic
Type: Preprint / Working paper
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Date: March 2026
Version: 2.3
DOI: (to be assigned upon publication on Zenodo)
Abstract
Within the framework of the “Physical Theory of Value” (PTV) project, the author proposes to treat two axiomatic laws of the nature of semiotics as a working foundation for further development of the theory.
The First Law postulates the physical nature of operating with linguistic signs (the process of thinking) as a universal information-processing mechanism in cognitive systems of any type. The Second Law defines a sign (word, symbol, gesture) as a memory address of the subject, pointing to a stored model of the denotatum, while the denotatum itself always remains outside the memory of the communicating parties.
According to these postulates, in any form of communication (verbal or non-verbal), only the logical structure of memory addresses is transmitted, not its content. Understanding occurs only when the recipient already possesses an analogous address structure filled with their own individual experience, or constructs such a structure and fills it with models synthesized from their personal history.
These statements are deliberately introduced as axioms, not as proven theorems. Their empirical validation, boundary clarification, counterexample search, and potential falsification remain tasks for future research and the scientific community.
In the present work, these axioms are used as an instrument to advance the core objective of the PTV project — the search for technologies capable of measuring real material and spiritual values.
Keywords:
Physical Theory of Value, Real Value Unit System (RVUS), Multidimensional Modeling, semiotics, sign, memory address, denotatum model, verbal communication, non-verbal communication, conditioned reflexes, Физическая теория ценности, intercultural misunderstanding, axiomatic approach
1. Introduction
The Physical Theory of Value (PTV) is built on the premise that value is an objective physical property of material carriers, measurable in defined units. Further development of this theory requires a reliable description of how humans (and other cognitive systems) operate with values in consciousness, make decisions, and exchange information about them.
To address this task, the present work introduces two axiomatic laws of the nature of semiotics. These are not presented as proven theorems and are not deductively derived from more fundamental principles within this paper. They are deliberately chosen initial postulates (axioms) that:
- are logically consistent with observed phenomena of communication and thinking,
- are compatible with known data from neurophysiology, psychology, and reflex theory,
- allow consistent description of both verbal and non-verbal information exchange processes,
- open the way to constructing quantitative models of value in cognitive systems.
The task of proving or refuting these axioms, clarifying their scope of applicability, searching for counterexamples, and conducting rigorous empirical tests is intentionally left to the reader, the scientific community, and future research.
The goal of this work is different:
having accepted the proposed statements as working axioms, to demonstrate how they can serve as a tool for advancing the main PTV program — the development of methods for physically measuring real (material and spiritual) values.
The First Law postulates the nature of sign-language thinking as a physical information-processing process.
The Second Law defines the sign as a memory address and explains the mechanism behind the inherently subjective nature of understanding in communication.
The remainder of the text relies precisely on these axiomatic propositions.
2. First Law of the Nature of Semiotics
2.1 Main Formulation (Axiom)
Axiom 1.0
A thinking subject (human, artificial intelligence, biological organism, or any other cognitive agent) operates in the processes of cognition and intellectual activity not with real objects directly, but with their mental representations — simplified models of real prototypes (denotata), stored in the subject's memory and encoded by means of its internal language.
2.2 Logical Consequences (Principles Derived from Axiom 1.0)
2.2.1 The properties of objects manipulated in cognitive processes belong exclusively to the model and only partially correlate with the properties of their real prototypes. This is due to the fundamental limitations of any model.
2.2.2 Any prediction made on the basis of a model contains systematic error proportional to the degree of adequacy of the denotatum description within that model.
2.2.3 Any law formulated in any language (natural, formal, or symbolic) has a limited domain of applicability.
2.2.4 Absolute truths exist exclusively within the cognitive system of the subject (in its working memory). Any application of such truths to reality contains non-zero error.
2.2.5 Achievement of any real goal with absolute precision is impossible due to model imperfection, external factors, and the stochastic nature of reality.
2.2.6 An ideal goal (a mental model of a real goal) can be achieved within finite time, since its attainability is determined by the parameters of the model.
2.2.7 Symmetry exists only within linguistic description and is a product of cognitive activity, not an objective property of reality.
2.2.8 To establish correspondence between linguistic models and reality, a meta-language is required — a system of signs with direct physical or operational connection to the denotatum (standards, reference samples, experimental protocols).
2.2.9 Any realistically achievable goal can be realized by an infinite number of alternative technologies.
2.2.10 Achievement of any realistically achievable goal requires two components:
- I — information (model of substrate transformation);
- E — material-energy substrate.
Formally: AIM = I × E
(where AIM is the target function, the real goal).
3. Second Law of the Nature of Semiotics
3.1 Main Formulation (Axiom)
Axiom 2.0
A word, sign, or symbol constitutes a memory address of the subject in which a model (image) of the denotatum is stored.
3.2 Logical Consequences
3.2.1 In verbal communication, the sender transmits to the recipient only the logical structure of addresses from their own memory. Understanding occurs when the recipient constructs an analogous structure and fills it with models formed during their individual history.
3.2.2 In non-verbal communication, the sender transmits a reflex response to the stimulus — a memory address containing an innate or conditioned psychic reaction.
3.3 Central Conclusion
What is transmitted is never the content, but only a memory address. Meaning arises exclusively when the recipient possesses and correctly interprets the corresponding “file”.
3.4 Illustrative Examples
3.4.1 Unconditioned Reflexes
- Salivation in a dog upon seeing food (Pavlov)- Knee-jerk, pupillary, rooting reflexes in humans
3.4.2 Conditioned Reflexes
- Salivation to a bell after pairing with food- Salivation upon seeing or mentioning a lemon
3.4.3 Culturally Specific Reflexes
Bulgarian head nod: vertical = “no”, horizontal = “yes” (reverse convention compared to most European cultures)3.4.4 Semantic Conflicts (examples of content divergence at the same address)
- “Is this a table or a nightstand?”- “What is truth?” (correspondence vs. pragmatic theory)
- “What is energy / democracy / love?”
4. Discussion
The proposed axioms are consistent with classical semiotic approaches (Peirce, Saussure), but shift the focus to the physical and neurophysiological level (memory addresses, reflex mechanisms). They align well with contemporary concepts of grounded cognition, episodic memory, and mirror neurons.
Limitations of the current formulation: qualitative nature, lack of strict mathematical formalization, and absence of direct experimental confirmation.
Prospects:
- explaining limitations of modern large language models
- improving intercultural communication and language teaching
- resolving psychotherapeutic and philosophical conflicts arising from divergent “filling” of key concepts
- developing quantitative metrics for model synchronization in communication
5. Conclusion
The two proposed axiomatic laws of the nature of semiotics provide a logically consistent framework for describing communication and thinking mechanisms within the Physical Theory of Value. Information transfer is always limited to memory addresses, while true meaning is formed exclusively in the recipient’s consciousness.
Acceptance of these propositions as working axioms opens the path for further development of PTV toward objective physical measurement of values.
References
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2. Peirce C.S. Collected Papers. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1931–1958.
3. Saussure F. de. Course in General Linguistics. Moscow: Editorial URSS, 2004.
4. Deacon T.W. The Symbolic Species. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997.
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