Abstract

The aim of the paper is to discuss the basic concepts developed in Ferraris’ book Documentalità, in particular the first two items of the conceptual triad trace-registration-inscription. The alleged priority of icnology on semiotics can hardly be justified; due to the overlooking of the notions of rule and code, the law of the production of traces remains obscure. On the other hand, the notion of registration as presence of traces in the mind conflicts whit some of our knowledge about the brain and cannot avoid a logical circularity, since the trace is defined as something which can exist only if a mind is recognizing it as such.