Mediation without Encounter

This essay by language philosopher Bry Willis applies the Mediated Encounter Ontology of the World (MEOW) to evaluate the structural nature of large language models. While these systems possess sophisticated computational and predictive mediation, the author argues they lack encounter-organisation, meaning they are not truly oriented within a world of stakes. Current AI architectures are distribution-facing rather than world-facing, remaining insulated from the physical and existential constraints that reorganise human salience. Consequently, the model’s linguistic fluency is identified as sedimented discourse rather than grounded judgment, leading humans to commit a predictable encounter-projection error. Ultimately, the text distinguishes between operational fragility and the architectural vulnerability required for genuine ontological commitment. Note: The following is an automatically generated synopsis. It may compress, reframe, or misattribute emphasis. Citations, definitions, and argumentative scope are authoritative only in the written essay.NB: As of 22/2/26, this has yet to be published, but it will be available here when it has been.👉 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18727120