CONSTRUCTING MESSAGES TO EXTRATERRESTRIALS : AN EXOSEMIOTIC PERSPECTIVE

Abstract Discussions of constructing messages for communication with extraterrestrials have tended to fall into one of two extremes. The dominant position among astronomers and physicists is that conveying information between two civilizations will be relatively straightforward because both species will share basic conceptions of mathematics and science. Scholars in the humanities and social sciences typically contend the opposite: that even mathematics and science as we know them may be specific to humans, and that it may be impossible to develop systems of communication across species. A position between these two extremes is advanced in this paper. The “Incommensurability Problem” might be overcome by sending transmissions simulating natural phenomena themselves, rather than particular models of these phenomena. A semiotic analysis of the various possibilities for representing these phenomena suggests that icons, which bear physical resemblances to what they represent, will be superior to symbols, which are purely arbitrary. The implications of this intermediate position include the need for more intensive investigations of the linguistic aspects of SETI before a message is received, as well as the advantages of transmitting in addition to searching for signals.