Living in the House of the Bat Man

Philosophics — Philosophical and Political Ramblings · Jun 3, 2026 · 20m

Language philosopher Bry Willis explores the philosophical concept that objective truth is a structural byproduct of language rather than a fundamental reality. Drawing on Thomas Nagel’s work regarding the inaccessible nature of a bat's consciousness, the author argues that humans cannot truly access the inner lives of others, instead relying on social coordination and shared models. This phenomenon is compared to a starling murmuration, where local interactions create the illusion of a single, purposeful entity that does not actually exist as a distinct subject. The source suggests that…