Robert Junqueira

The literature is abundant with definitions of semiotics. First and foremost, semiotics has to do with signs. Charles S. Peirce (†1914) is often referred to as the founder of contemporary semiotics. Peirce provided the community of inquiry with a very convincing explanation of what a sign is. Peirce’s definition of the sign bears a striking resemblance to that proposed in the 1606 volume of the CJC, the Coimbra Jesuit Course, authored by Sebastião do Couto (†1639). Can it be the case that Peirce drew from the writings of Couto to arrive at his conception of the sign? Our ultimate purpose here is to provide an adequate answer to such a question. The first part takes a closer look at the state of the question. To this end, an overall picture of the case and an insight into the Peirce-CJC relation in the context of the scholarly literature are provided. The second part deals with the CJC and Peirce’s doctrinæ signorum, the latter’s references to the CJC, and the corresponding background. It has been evidenced that the impact of the CJC on Peirce reaches far beyond the definition of the sign, for Peirce relied on the CJC also to work out what is the knowledge that befits abstraction, the locus of logic amidst art and science, the definition of fallacies, the ways in which predication occurs, how to approach logical quantities, as well as how to interpret Nominalism, Scotism, and Thomism, along with the relatedness between them all. In retrospect, looking back at the work that was accomplished here and all it is rooted in, what we bring from Coimbra is a laconic expression of a renewed understanding of the Peirce-CJC relation. As we stare intently out of the rear window, we can tell that the community of inquiry has only just begun the quest of understanding the significance and niceties of the Peirce-CJC relation.

This interview explores the transformative impact of military drone technology on global security, warfare, and ethical responsibility. Robert Junqueira argues that while drones represent disruptive technological advancement with devastating potential—from precision strikes to autonomous swarms—the core challenge remains fundamentally human. He critiques the notion of "autonomous" drones, insisting that these systems are programmed devices embodying human volition, and that responsibility for their actions must remain exclusively with humans. The discussion addresses how AI-enabled drones are reshaping military strategy and international relations while examining the social, political, and philosophical implications of attributing agency to machines rather than their human operators.