A Study on the Meaning of Myth and Sign in the Matter of Cultural Modernization of Architecture - focused on the thinking of Ernst Cassirer and Charles Sanders Peirce -
Vesely explains, the main source of our confusion and nihilism comes most probably from the ambiguous relationship between modem architecture, technology and aesthetics. Also, to overcome such crucial problems, many theorists recently emphasize to take part in cultural civilization and to preserve creative genes of great culture that is based on our interpretation of 'ethical and mythical nucleus of mankind,' rather than in technical modernization that constitutes a sort of subtle destruction of mytho-ethical nucleus of a society. They for architecture also strongly stress on a mythopoetic imagination and an ontological construction of building, which could make a form symbolic and mythical rather than mathematical and aesthetic representation. On this point, 'myth' becomes a vital idea for constructing and construing architectural form and space. And it is also one of the essential concepts to understand both the motive power of cultural continuation of place and the meaning of architecture. Nevertheless, its meaning and the citation of word in architectural essay are still obscure. It might be because the original concept of myth not only has been lain in the matter of philosophical contemplation. Thus, the intention of the research is focused on lightening the meaning of myth in architectural term. Especially, it is, first, concentrated on interpreting philosopher Ernst Cassirer's reflections which were written in order to emphasize the importance of 'mythical consciousness' for the world's cultural civilization. And, the second, it will continue to interpret the myth as a sign within the semiotic concept of Charles Sanders Peirce, and further to emphasis the significance of mythic signs for the continuance of artistic and cultural idea including architecture. The contents of the paper is not that of architectural planning and design methodology, rather architectural philosophy and epistemology. Nevertheless, in regard to architecture, the research will, against today's un-discriminated use of symbolic motifs and instrumental representation of form, suggest a concrete architectural and aesthetic theory of myth and sign, especially of the relationship between the idea of semiology and the function of cultural continuity.