Augmented reality and general intellect. Hypothesis for a materialistic semiotics of smartmedia

Abstract

In line with the semiotic theory of Ferruccio Rossi-Landi (1921-1985), this paper will try to analyse the topic of Augmented Reality (AR) from the perspective of dialectical-materialism. First of all, I would like to illustrate how semiotic processes connected with AR could be analysed in the light of Rossi-Landi’s categorical framework; more specifically, I will refer to categories of social design and sign-work. Furthermore, I will try to propose a dialogue between Rossi-Landi’s materialistic semiotics, and another theoretical approach: i.e., the narrative semiotic of smartmedia, as structured by Ferraro (2012, 2014). More specifically, I will try to structure a parallelism between the hybrid textualities characterising the narrative architecture of smartmedia, and two fundamental concepts of materialistic semiotics: i.e. the concept of program, and the concept of excess. In the light of these theses, I will hypothesize that AR could be understood as a form of what Marx defined as general intellect, that is, the general social knowledge embodied in the machines.