  This paper considers the relationships among meaning generation, selection,
and the dynamics of discourse from a variety of perspectives ranging from
information theory and biology to sociology. Following Husserl's idea of a
horizon of meaning in intersubjective communication, we propose a way in which,
using Shannon's equations, the generation and selection of meanings from a
horizon of possibilities can be considered probabilistically. The
information-theoretical dynamics we articulate considers a process of meaning
generation within cultural evolution: information is imbued with meaning, and
through this process, the number of options for the selection of meaning in
discourse proliferates. The redundancy of possible meanings contributes to a
codification of expectations within the discourse. Unlike hard-wired DNA, the
codes of non-biological systems can co-evolve with the variations. Spanning
horizons of meaning, the codes structure the communications as selection
environments that shape discourses. Discursive knowledge can be considered as
meta-coded communication which enables us to translate among differently coded
communications. The dynamics of discursive knowledge production can thus infuse
the historical dynamics with a cultural evolution by adding options, that is,
by increasing redundancy. A calculus of redundancy is presented as an indicator
whereby these dynamics of discourse and meaning may be explored empirically.
