A model of the semiotic dynamics of sociocultural systems, or On the infiltration of chimeras into discussions of the information phenomenon
DOI: 10.23951/2312-7899-2026-3-53-76
In myth, the Chimera appears as a creature that inspires both terror and awe. Its combat prowess evokes dread, while its dazzling flight commands admiration. Yet, in defeat, it is revealed as nothing more than an absurd hybrid. A grim fate awaits its conqueror, too: Pegasus – the steed used to slay the Chimera and intended to serve as the means to achieve another of his dreams, itself a chimerical one – casts its rider down to earth from the heights. The collection of metaphors presented here serves to illustrate the hybridization of various stages of the information process. A methodological consequence of conflating these stages is confusion regarding the processes of choice and selection, as well as the semiotic outcomes of these processes – namely, cultural codes and cultural symbols. “Ambiguous images” are used to illustrate the implications of the ambiguity surrounding the interpretation of choice and selection processes. These illustrations demonstrate that the conciseness of a code compensates for the multiplicity of interpretations derived from a given thesaurus. The model for the distribution of processes and results is based on the application of five methodological principles: 1) the fundamental stages of the information process correspond to the self-organization phases of systems of any nature; 2) information processes serve as the mechanisms of self-organization for these systems; 3) each stage of the information process results in the formation of a semiotic form; 4) information technologies constitute an artificial embodiment of information processes; and 5) semiotic forms and cultural functions – as the outcomes of information processes – represent the actuality of sociocultural systems, while the process of accepting these forms and functions constitutes the reality of sociocultural systems. The model of sociocultural dynamics is illustrated by an example in which reality belongs to communities within “information bubbles” (or, more precisely, “communication bubbles”). Particular attention is paid to the process of information realization, which encompasses the entire array of technologies, styles, and modes of action. It is at this stage of the information process that operators are selected to achieve social goals. The semiotic outcome of this process is the symbol acting as an operator of social action. Since educational technologies are included among these technologies, the cognitive (critical) function also emerges as a result of this stage. AI serves as the example examined in the article. The conclusion is drawn that the defining characteristic of AI is not its “generativity,” but rather its potential to serve as a medium of dialogue for developing critical thinking skills – specifically, its potential to limit the hybridization of opinions within “information bubbles.” The following conclusions have been drawn: 1. The image of the ancient Chimera bears a resemblance to prevailing conceptions of the information phenomenon. The holistic image of the phenomenon creates an impression of potential and actual threats. However, the phenomenon’s structure – as demonstrated by the model – mitigates the intensity of the emotional perception of the phenomenon and opens up various possibilities: diagnosing the directions of impacts; resolving the confusion between the processes of selection and choice; and determining the limits of the effectiveness of operator algorithms (in the Chimera myth, Pegasus plays the role of the operator, and Bellerophon failed to gauge the limits of its effectiveness). 2. The chimera manifests as a hybrid. Currently, hybridization is intensified by the strained relationship between the natural and the artificial, making it pertinent to identify their sterile hybrids. These include the “crossing” of information generation and information realization, of code and symbol, and of creativity and reduplication. 3. Consensus becomes a chimera amidst the polarization of opinions spontaneously generated within “communication bubbles.” This polarization precludes the identification of any mean values, as the middle ground itself is absent.
Keywords: “information bubbles,” stages of the information process, self-organization mechanism, cultural code, symbol-operator
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Issue: 3, 2026
Series of issue: Issue 3
Rubric: ARTICLES
Pages: 53 — 76
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