Eco posits that there is no singular, universal structure (an "Ontological Structure") hidden within reality. Instead, structures are provisional models created by researchers to organize and interpret cultural phenomena.
Using architecture as an example, Eco distinguishes between Primary Functions (the literal use of an object, like a door for entering) and Secondary Functions (the symbolic or ideological meanings, like a cathedral door representing divinity). The Absent Structure Umberto Eco Pdf
Sophia's confusion turned to fascination as she realized that the city's absent structures were, in fact, a manifestation of its underlying code. The labyrinth was a vast, complex system of signs and symbols, where meaning was hidden in the gaps between the physical structures. Eco posits that there is no singular, universal
...this text is essential. It transitions Eco from a novelist (though he wrote this before his major fiction successes like The Name of the Rose ) to a preeminent philosopher of language. Sophia's confusion turned to fascination as she realized
He elaborates on the notion of "codes" —the social and cultural keys that govern how we correlate specific expressions with their content.
: Full versions are available on the Internet Archive (Spanish) and other repositories as La struttura assente English Equivalent : You can access A Theory of Semiotics