Post-Human Semiotics: The Priority of Writing

Introduction Does artificial intelligence truly break with metaphysics, or does it simply relocate the metaphysics of presence into computational form? This question finds resonance in Jacques Derrida’s Of Grammatology , particularly in two key passages. In The Program , Derrida remarks: “If the theory of cybernetics is by itself to oust metaphysical concepts—including the concepts of soul, of life, of value, of choice, of memory—which until recently served to separate the machine from man, it must conserve the notion of writing, trace, gramme [written mark], or grapheme, until its own historico-metaphysical character is also exposed.” Meanwhile, in The Signifier and Truth , he warns: “This would perhaps mean that one does not leave the epoch whose closure one can outline. The movements of belonging or not belonging to the epoch are too subtle, the illusions in that regard are too easy, for us to make a definite judgment.” These observations remain highly relevant today as cont...

Introduction The emergence of cybernetics and information technologies has profoundly destabilized the traditional concept of the human subject. With the increasing mediation of thought through digital networks, artificial intelligence, and algorithmic processes, the idea of a self-present consciousness as the locus of meaning is increasingly untenable. Derrida's grammatology, which deconstructs the metaphysics of presence, provides a theoretical framework to understand this shift. His critique of phonocentrism and the privileging of speech over writing exposes the ways in which meaning is always already mediated through inscription, deferring the possibility of a fully autonomous subject. Cybernetics, as both a scientific paradigm and a technological reality, amplifies Derrida’s insights by demonstrating that communication, thought, and memory function independently of human consciousness. The guiding question of this article is thus: How does Derrida’s grammatology, when e...

Introduction The emergence of artificial intelligence in natural language processing has reignited philosophical debates about the nature of language and signification. Among the most relevant theoretical frameworks for understanding these developments is Jacques Derrida’s concept of arche-writing , which challenges the assumption that speech precedes and grounds writing. Traditional linguistic thought often privileges spoken language as the foundation of communication, viewing writing as a secondary system for storing and transmitting speech. However, Derrida argues that writing , as a broader system of inscription, fundamentally shapes all linguistic expression. The development of large language models (LLMs) provides compelling evidence for this claim, as these systems acquire linguistic competence exclusively through written text rather than through speech or social interaction. This article explores the intersection of Derrida’s deconstructive philosophy and the technologic...