Digital notation and spectral meaning

摘要

In this paper, we introduce the concept of spectral as a mode of meaning-making in digital media that is at odds with former theories for the emergence of meaning. The concept described in this paper relies on the connection between mediascapes and meaning production as originally described by Friedrich Kittler, for whom the writingotation systems (Aufschreibesysteme) enforce new discourse possibilities. In addition to the concept of notation systems, the spectral meaning is described as a by-product of the theories of Gilles Deleuze and Niklas Luhmann that allow for a theory of meaning not based upon semantic or hermeneutic interpretation of phrases. The last topic of this text describes the mechanics of meaning generation in digital media through a sociocybernetic framework.