The Indeterminate Package: The Instability of Meaning

Philosophics — Philosophical and Political Ramblings · Sep 17, 2026 · 20m

Language philosopher Bry Willis reflects on the intellectual limitations of reading with a specific goal, a habit he developed while studying the works of philosopher Alfred North Whitehead. He challenges the common conduit metaphor of communication, which suggests that speakers simply package clear thoughts into language for others to unwrap. Instead, Willis argues that human meaning is often unstable and indeterminate even before it is spoken, meaning that expression frequently creates clarity rather than just conveying it. While acknowledging that language has successfully facilitated…