Indexicals and communicative affordances

Abstract

Various data from communication that does not occur face-to-face are taken to be problematic for Kaplan's account of indexical expressions, as is the case with the so-called answering machine paradox. One fix, developed by Sidelle (1991) and Briciu (2018), is the remote utterance view: recording artifacts are means by which speakers perform utterances at a distance, just as by means of other artifacts agents performs other types of actions at a distance. This view has faced an important objection, namely that remote utterances lead to Moorean paradoxes. In this paper, I defend the remote utterance view against this objection and further develop the view. I argue that worries about Moorean paradoxes can easily be dispelled if we take into consideration the artifactual nature of recording devices, their materiality, and the communicative affordances they bring about. In the first section, we'll present the answering machine paradox and give a brief overview of the remote utterance view. The second section presents the objection against the view, while the third gives a detailed rejoinder to the objection. Answering this objection is important also because it allows us to explore some underdeveloped aspects of the remote utterance view.First, I will discuss how the theorist calibrates her model with the data she seeks to explain and predict. Secondly, I will argue that speech acts performed via recording devices have different felicity conditions than their oral counterparts. I conclude with a short discussion of some semantic and pragmatic consequences of the view.

Semiotic Functions of Indexicality

“…The goal of the study is to offer a sophisticated comprehension of the semiotic functions of indexicality and how they affect communication (Briciu, 2024). The study employed thematic analysis to discern patterns and aspects of environmental awareness, community involvement, and the significance of sustainable living.…”

“…Furthermore, studies might look at the use of indexicality in online forums and social media (Lu & Kroon, 2024), two digital communication platforms where social and cultural settings greatly influence communication patterns. Additionally, additional studies may be done to examine how indexicality influences people's views and actions about environmental concerns (Briciu, 2024). Promoting sustainable living behaviors may be made easier for policymakers and communicators by knowing how indexical signs affect environmental awareness and action.…”