Semantic Color Space
foundations and architecture
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9/ A hierarchy of meaning
9/ A hierarchy of meaning
The three-dimensional model makes it possible to distinguish different levels of complexity of meaning, ranging either from the simplest and most basic of tiers (dimensional level) up to the complexity of combinations of signs and meaning on the highest level (8 and 64 level). For example, 'lightness' is a parameter of color. We can observe that the color rose is a light color, but it doesn't work the other way around. There are many light colors that are not rose. The color pink has other descriptive parameters, for example, it is likewise perceived as warm and calming. We also note that words that are parameters of something are often very simple words, always used in contrast, such as dark and light, or warm and cold. We therefore consider these words as basic and place the pairs on the dimensional level. Rose, moreover, is a mixed color. We easily distinguish the primary colors red and white in it. Rose therefore belongs to the more complex words (level 64), while red and white belong to the primary level (level 8).
Fig 9. Dimensional level
The dimensional level: bipolar parameters
Within the semantic space, the dimensions depth, height, and width contain the most simple keywords that always appear in oppositional pairs. Here are classified the basic parameters of emotion, psychology, color, shape, composition, texture, and posture such as among others cold/warm (depth), dominant/compliant (height), square/rounded (width).
Fig 10. Primary level
The 8-level: primary concepts
The parameters from the dimensional level form the basis for the 8 primary clusters of meaning, each of which is represented by a codon. This 8-level comprises more complex words such as the basic color names “blue”, “red”, etc., or simple words such as “earth”, and “fire”. Often these keywords also have an antonym. E.g. the antonym for “earth” is “heaven”, and for “fire” it is “water”. These eight clusters of meaning are situated on the eight corners of the semantic cube.
Fig 11. Combinational level. Example with primary black (001) combined with each of the eight primary colors: black-on-blue, black-on-black, black-on-green, etc. In total there are 64 color combinations possible.
The 64-level: combination of codons
When doubling the cube (8x8) the distinction and the mutual relation between the first and the second cube can be compared to the relationship between nouns and adjectives. By adding an adjective to a substantive keyword, the content of the noun is modified by the adjective. E.g. the red hat, where 'hat' gives the basic meaning and 'red' the adjective. Red is a quality or a manner of hat and modifies the meaning. This furthers the potential for growth or refinement of signification. Semantics forerunner Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914) already realized how the meaning of signs can grow and become more complex by combinations of signs. The latter can be effected by using adjectives. In two-color combinations, the bottom or background color is the noun, and the top color is the adjective. On the 64-level we find the composed and more complex words such as 'blue-green', 'azure', 'nature reserve', 'detective', 'cooking', 'law'.
Fig 12. Marvin Minsky's cube-in-cube concept. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.en
The cube within cube structure of the SCS reveals a striking similarity to the computer model of the human brain developed by American A.I. scientist and mathematician Marvin Minsky. His “society of mind” theory (1986) regards every naturally evolved cognitive system such as our brain as a society of simple individual processes built by genes. These fundamental entities or “agents” enable us to represent emotional and other states of mind. The cube-in-cube model is extrapolated from and may be a representation of the topological connectivity between neurons or neuronal circuits. A likening of these fundamental entities to the eight codons from the SCS is obvious. The logical architecture of the SCS neatly fits in with the functioning of our cognitive system and our emotions. In that sense the SCS can be a natural source of creative information, bringing intuition to the surface and sharpening it.
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