Multiple Readings of Existential Graphs

Abstract

In her writings, Shin points out that non-symbolic representation systems have so far been underestimated in favour of symbolic systems. Her alternative aims to overcome the shortcomings of diagrammatic systems while saving the benefits by formalising them in a way that takes advantage of the iconic properties of diagrammatic representations. Specifically, it proposes a natural system by providing a new formulation for reading algorithms and the inference rules of C. S. Peirce’s Existential Graphs (EG) that is easy to understand and use. In this study, I cover issues related to multiple readings. In their papers, Bellucci and Pietarinen critically examines Shin’s arguments from several points of view. According to Shin, multiple readings are an example that shows the typical characteristics of diagrammatic systems that are not possible in symbolic systems but possible in the alpha part of EG. According to Bellucci and Pietarinen, in contrast, the multiple readings argument is useless to distinguish diagrammatic systems from symbolic ones because it contains circular arguments. Through an examination of this issue, this study considers the diagram and language differences, and differences between the icons and symbols.