ABSTRACT
This chapter suggests that control theory provides a particularly useful perspective on the triadic semiotic dynamic. The most important lesson of control theory is that there are constraints at the systems level that are fundamental. In general, the range of stable gains will depend on the size of the time delay. As time delays increase, the upper bounds on gains that will produce stable control will get lower. The child will need to become a different type of mechanism. The chapter aims to demonstrate the intuition using formalities associated with control theory. Anyone who is seriously interested in the behavior of dynamical, closed-loop systems can benefit from some exposure to formal control theory. Exposure to the formal theory will help students to gauge both the value and the limitations of control metaphors for providing insights into human experience.
