9. Art Is Indistinguishable from Life: The Artistic Nature of the Human Species

Art is an intrinsic feature of human life. There is no culture and no era of time that does not have its own repertoire of art forms. It is indisputable evidence that the human capacity for knowing from within is a powerful force in shaping human meaning systems. This chapter looks at the semiotics of art in all its manifestations, from drawings to music. Art is critical because it is valued as precious and perceived as transcending time. It says something intrinsic about human nature. Semioticians seek to unravel the historical sources of art forms and what they tell us about the nature of the human imagination—cognition may evolve over time, but the imagination continues on as a creative force behind human evolution.