Umberto Eco’s ‘negative realism’ and its glossematic foundations

My aims in this essay are to (i) re-examine Umberto Eco’s “negative” (or “minimal”) realism in order to better describe its glossematic foundations, given that in his discussion Eco refers to Louis Hjelmslev’s stratification theory and in particular his concept of “purport”; (ii) show how the so-called “new realism” of Maurizio Ferraris holds positions that are very close to the negative realism of Umberto Eco; and (iii) show how semiotics – through Hjelmslev and glossematics – can offer theoretical and practical suggestions that can clarify some issues in the realism/antirealism debate.