物的意義：關於碟仙的符號學心理學初探

The Meaning of an Object︰ Towards a Semiotic Psychology about Dieh-Xian

從最基本的概念開始，符號學心理學就和建立在客觀實體論之上的傳統科學有顯然的差異。物究竟是什麼？對這個問題的回答必須從Peirce對於符徵、物、言詮的三項式原則去開始探究。而本文所欲探究之物乃是一種屬於占卜術的碟仙。碟仙在此不應被視為一個已完成定義的客體物，而應視為一個有待完成的文化物項來看待。在玩碟仙之中的人則應視為進入一場占卜論述的故事中人。由於碟仙具有「講話」的功能，因此我們必須瞭解講話和語言的關係；由於講話的主體不同於心理學慣稱的主體，我們也必須瞭解如何透過講話對談而形成對談的主體性。更有甚者，這種形式的對談不只是個人行動，而是一種聯合行動，其中所進行者則是夾帶著傳統占卜論述的全部力量而現身的談話。對於占卜術的符號學分析有助於瞭解求卜者之所求以及其中的意義在於「合乎我意」。但是，更進一步的探究還可發現：「我意」的內涵不一定受限於占卜傳統裡的給定文本，而有向外任意擴延的可能性。

Starting from the very basic concept, this study of semiotic psychology attempts to build up a comprehensive understanding of an occult object through an investigation of the Dieh-Xian (a Chinese Ouija) phenomenon. What is an object? When Charles Sanders Peirce first coined the tripartite structure of sign-object-interpretant, he actually suggested a new psychology for the study of things. Being situated in an interlocutionary relations, people can only understand the dialogue as if they are in the story. The nature of the object and, subsequently, the speaking subject, are to be restated. Dieh-Xian is not an objective thing but a thing capable of becoming a speaking subject. “He/She” may be a spokesperson of the occult tradition, and may be a Self. The findings of the investigation show that Dieh-Xian is able to grow through the expansion of its meaning in the text and its context.