Critiquing The Divide: A Reassessment of Lagopoulos’ “Non-Symmetrical Kaleidoscope Of Semiotics”

Abstract

This article critically responds to Alexandros Ph. Lagopoulos' 2025 paper, "The Non-Symmetrical Kaleidoscope of Semiotics." Lagopoulos proposes a strict epistemological divide between Saussurean and Peircean semiotic traditions and critiques several hybrids and applied forms of semiotics, including biosemiotics. While his work articulates the philosophical fault lines in semiotic theory, this critique challenges some of its overgeneralizations, particularly the claim of absolute incompatibility between paradigms and the dismissal of newer subfields as theoretically weak. By examining these claims through contemporary research and interdisciplinary scholarship, this article argues for a more pluralistic and integrative approach to semiotic studies, one that reflects the current evolution of the field across domains such as digital culture, cognitive science, and biological systems.