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Home > Quote from "New Elements (Kaina stoiceia)"

Commens
Digital Companion to C. S. Peirce
‘Icon’ (pub. 28.04.13-20:01). Quote in M. Bergman & S. Paavola (Eds.), The Commens Dictionary: Peirce's Terms in His Own Words. New Edition. Retrieved from http://www.commens.org/dictionary/entry/quote-new-elements-kaina-stoiceia-4.
Term: 
Icon
Quote: 

Of signs there are two different degenerate forms. But though I give them this disparaging name, they are of the greatest utility, and serve purposes that genuine signs could not. The more degenerate of the two forms (as I look upon it) is the icon. This is defined as a sign of which the character that fits it to become a sign of the sort that it is, is simply inherent in it as a quality of it.[—]

An icon is a sign fit to be used as such because it possesses the quality signified.

Source: 
Peirce, C. S. (1904 [c.]). New Elements (Kaina stoiceia). MS [R] 517.
References: 
EP 2:306-7
Date of Quote: 
1904 [c.]
URL: 

http://www.commens.org/dictionary/entry/quote-new-elements-kaina-stoiceia-4