Walker Percy argues that the differing perspectives on human nature, particularly the scientific viewpoint of man as an organism driven by various needs versus the Christian perspective of man as a spiritual entity, are fundamentally unresolvable and tedious. He suggests that the current models fail to capture the complexity of human nature, leading to a calling for a more nuanced approach.

Percy proposes that semiotics, the study of signs and their meanings, offers a promising framework for understanding humanity. By viewing individuals as creatures that interpret and utilize signs, he believes we can gain deeper insights into the self and consciousness, moving beyond mere biological and psychological frameworks to explore what it means to be human.