Modeling the Emergence and Evolutionary History of Semiotic Systems and Processes

The emergence and evolutionary history of semiotic systems and processes are among the topics that attract the most remarkable number of researchers in a variety of theoretical and experimental fields. As 'behavior associated with the language does not fossilize' (Hauser et al., 2000), the most important developments are theoretical, comparative and computational modeling (Christiansen & Kirby, 2003). The computational approaches are dedicated to the building of artificial (virtual and embodied) creatures and environments through which one can simulate the minimum requirements to observe the emergence and evolution of semiotic systems. Neuroethology, cognitive science, evolutionary biology and behavioral ecology are some of the areas that provide the most robust gathering of empirical and theoretical strategies to computationally test hypotheses about the emergence and evolutionary history of many semiotic systems, processes and properties. Approaches work in different descriptive levels (e.g., synthax, morphology, social communication and interaction) (Steels, 2003; Cangelosi & Parisi, 2002). Depending on the theoretical framework, and computational tools, one can test a range of factors that affect the philo/ontogeny of many processes, such as the adaptive role of compositional structures, the benefits arising from the emergence of symbolic processes, the presumed biological substrates responsible for the evolution of these processes, the decisive role of cognitive artifacts and technologies. In theoretical and philosophical terms, the constraints derived from Jakob von Uexkull's biosemiotics, and the pragmatic semiotics of Charles S. Peirce, have provided various subsidies and a collection of restriction to conceive, adjust and regulate the simulations and experimental protocols (Ziemke & Sharkey, 2001; Queiroz & Merrell, 2009). These authors have 'inspired' computational strategies with principles related to autonomy, embedded and situated semiotic systems, and self-organization processes with emerging qualitative properties. The International Journal of Signs and Semiotic Systems (IJSSS) is the first journal profoundly devoted to the modeling of semi-otic systems and process. The journal offers a space of intense collaboration from empirical studies and theoretical frameworks toward a deeper understanding of semiotic process and an integrated vision of its synthesis in artificial systems. In establishing this journal, we