The algorithmic interpretant as a transformative factor in the communicative space of digital culture

Abstract

This article undertakes a philosophical inquiry into the transformation of communicative space in the context of digital culture. Introduction. In contemporary society, digital culture has become not only the dominant mode of interaction but also a decisive factor in reshaping the social, cultural and epistemological environment. Digital communication alters not merely the technical conditions of information transfer, but the very ontology of dialogue, representation and interpretation. Algorithmic mediation, the emergence of a «semiotics of surface» and the loss of context generate new challenges for the ethics of dialogue, the structure of publicity and the capacity for critical thought. The urgency of this topic stems both from the speed of technological change and from the philosophical depth of the problems it provokes. Aim of the study. The purpose of the article is to analyse the transformation of communicative space under digital culture through three interconnected levels: the communicative (the reconfiguration of dialogical ethics), the semiotic (the transformation of sign and representation) and the epistemological-ethical (critical thinking as a response to algorithmic mediation). The objective is to reveal the structural shifts that affect communication, representation and interpretation, and to formulate philosophical foundations for their systematic understanding. Methods. Methodologically, the study draws upon hermeneutical analysis, phenomenological reconstruction of communicative experience and critical reflection on the epistemological consequences of digital representation. This interdisciplinary framework allows the integration of classical concepts from philosophy of communication with contemporary debates in media theory and digital semiotics. Scientific novelty. The article proposes a conceptual model for the philosophical interpretation of digital communication as a transformation that is not only technical but ontological. For the first time, the synthesis of communication philosophy, the semiotics of the technical image and the ethics of critical thought is developed within a unified theoretical field. A key contribution is the introduction of the concept of the «algorithmic interpretant»: a mechanism by which algorithms replace the human function of interpretation through ranking, classification and filtering of signs. This idea provides a bridge between semiotics, critical theory and the study of digital infrastructures. Main results. The findings demonstrate that digital media reshape the ontological structure of communication: algorithms displace intentions, surfaces replace depth, and reaction substitutes for understanding. Within the semiotic dimension, the sign is no longer primarily a bearer of meaning but functions as a calculable element within algorithmic systems, undermining classical interpretative models. The philosophies of Vilém Flusser and Jean Baudrillard help to illuminate this transition from hermeneutics to simulation, from meaning to effect. In this context, critical thinking acquires the status of an ethical response to algorithmic logics that privilege visibility, immediacy and quantification over reflection and depth. Conclusions. The transformation of communicative space under digital culture demands a rethinking of the philosophical premises of dialogue, representation and interpretation. Digital media modify not only modes of interaction but the ontological nature of public communication itself, fragmenting contexts and redefining agency. Philosophy of communication in the digital age must therefore serve not only an analytic role but also an ethical one, offering tools for navigation within algorithmically mediated culture. Critical thinking, interpretation and contextualisation emerge as forms of ethical resistance to superficiality, reactivity and the loss of meaning. Future research may focus on exploring the epistemological limits of algorithmic communication and its implications for higher education, the public sphere and institutions of knowledge.