Interpretations of Communication

1301 Words3 Pages

The concept of representation and of how information is produced and submitted appealingly to an audience is essential to any written, visual or verbal text. Iconic, symbolic and indexical forms of representation when combined with preconceived ideas of particular subject matter assist in the forming of either negative or positive reactions with regards to a text. This paper examines the attached text and provides a critical reading of the strategies used to promote the ideas raised in the text and why such ideas are relevant. Issues raised include the premise of autonomous thought and the influence of technology as a form of human conditioning. The way in which the text uses both visual and verbal signs coupled with stereotypes commonly associated with the area of philosophy to promote these issues will also be analysed.

Any one text can provide its reader with a multitude of signs that need to be interpreted in order for the text's meaning to be fully understood. Quite often texts hold several meanings and each individual reading will take away with it a totally independent reading, unless there has been collaboration with others during interpretation. It is this point that makes the relationship between images and words so powerful. A group of people faced with the exact same formation of both words and images will invariably come away from a reading with slightly conflicting opinions on what was being presented. The central concept conveyed by the text remains fixed but due to different levels of intellect, social conditioning and ideological positions, altered interpretations will be apparent. John Sinclair in his book "Advertising in Cultural Theory" that this situation is unavoidable:

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...gy. It simply states that everything has its place and that thought is not a field that technology should dominate. It does however in its imagery, give recognition to the huge impact that technology has on our lives a fact that whether it be intended or not is not lost in the reading of this text.

In conclusion, the text succeeds in its attempt to promote the image of Philosophy. Socially dominant perceptions relating to Philosophy are used to great effect through both symbolic and iconic representation to engage the reader in the text. Politically the text explores the question of technology's influence on human thought and both words and images form a relationship that allows for a powerful and insightful reading of the text. Multiple interpretations are made possible through this relationship yet it does not detract from the central meaning of the piece.

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