Scientific Semiotics

The study of how meaning is made in science through signs, symbols, and representations. Scientific Semiotics analyzes how data become signs, how graphs signify, how models mean, how language shapes what can be said. It reveals that science is not just about discovering facts but about creating sign systems that make facts visible and communicable. A number is a sign. A diagram is a sign. A theory is a sign system. Understanding science requires understanding how its signs work.

"Your p-value is 0.03—what does that mean? Scientific Semiotics says: it's a sign, not a fact. It signifies something about your data relative to your assumptions. But signs need interpretation. Don't mistake the signifier for the signified, or you'll think statistical significance is actual significance."

Scientific Semiotics by Abzugal February 23, 2026