Theory of A-ppropriation: Beyond Representation in Human and Artificial Intelligence

In an era dominated by the representationalist paradigm the belief that understanding is merely a passive mirroring of reality this book introduces a radical departure: The Theory of A-ppropriation. Developed from a critical evolution of Paul Ricoeur s hermeneutic appropriation, this work argues that human understanding is not a representation of an external world, but a dynamic process of a-ppropriation (with a privative hyphen). It posits that consciousness does not possess the essence of reality; instead, it is provoked by the alterity of the real, leading to a creative manipulation of phenomena into symbols and personae. The author challenges the traditional boundaries between phenomenology and computational logic. By analyzing the structural mechanics of how humans personalize symbols to navigate their existence, the book provides a new epistemological framework that moves beyond binary logic toward an Equivalent-Parallel (Horizontal-Relational) logic. While deeply rooted in philosophical discourse, the book extends its reach to the future of technology, proposing that Learning Machines should be built upon the architecture of a-ppropriation rather than mere data processing. This is an essential read for scholars of philosophy, cognitive science, and AI theorists seeking a more profound understanding of what it means to know in a post-representational world.