This paper is concerned with the attitude of communication society towards the layer of ethical values. Contrary to what constitutes information society, the conception of communication society is based on the credibility of information, which is a significant component of human communication, and social bonds, which are the basis for any communication. Therefore, it is hypothesized that logosphere, which is the environment of the word, can effectively influence the ethical foundations of communication society and contribute to the development of (...) such society. The chief asset of logosphere is based on its properties: the primacy of the word, dialogicity, and its environmental character. Owing to these features logosphere can positively affect the ethical layer of communication society, provided it constitutes an arranged environment of the word. (shrink)

Since 1984 when J. Lotman’s article “On semiosphere” was published, this concept has been moving from one terminological field to another. In the disciplinary terminological field of the Tartu–Moscow School semiotics of culture, ‘semiosphere’ is connected with terms ‘language — secondary modelling system — text — culture’. From interdisciplinary terminological fields, the associations either with biosphere and noosphere, or with logosphere, are more important. As a metadisciplinary concept, semiosphere belongs to the methodology of culture studies and is associated with (...) the concepts of holism and the part and the whole. In this context, semiosphere marks the complementarity of disciplines studying culture, the movement towards the creation of general culture studies and “understanding methodology”. On the background of the contemporary trends of science it has to be remembered that semiosphere is simultaneously an object- and a metaconcept. The dynamism of culture as a research object forces science to search for new description languages but the new description languages in turn influence the cultural dynamics as they offer new possibilities for self-description. Often, however, from a historical perspective, a new description language is nothing but a methodological translation. Thus also the term semiosphere joins together several concepts that are related to semiotics of culture and that have gained new relevance on the background of the culture’s developmental dynamics. The concept of semiosphere brings semiotics of culture again into contact with its history, as it also brings applicational cultural analysis into contact with the history of culture and with the newest phenomena in culture. These contacts determine the place of the semiotics of culture among the sciences studying culture. (shrink)

The paper presents the structure and functioning of mediosphere and then discusses it in the context of ethics. It is a phenomenon which belongs to the domain of environment, and therefore exhibits a high level of effectiveness. Mediosphere is an environment generated by the media which are used by people. The human being is the most important element of this environment and influences it in a peculiar way. Hence, each mediosphere is different. The structure and functioning of mediosphere is affected (...) by its layers, namely logosphere, iconosphere, sonosphere, and galenosphere. A consequence of the ‘environmental’ nature of mediosphere is that negative effects of particular phenomena pertaining to the activity of the media are cumulated. Therefore, the ethical aspects of mediosphere are very important and topical. Reflections on this facet of mediosphere may prove useful for both people involved in the media and teachers, whose task, among others, is to prepare students for an adequate reception of what is offered by the press, radio, television, and the Internet. The discussion includes reference to examples of studies by those Western authors who propose practical guidelines and precautionary measures to prevent violation of ethical principles in the functioning of mediosphere. (shrink)