This text explores the fundamental distinction between the natural significance of objects and the intentional act of meaning something through communication. Using the metaphor of a tracker reading unintentional signs, the author demonstrates that reality often serves as a reference to other realities—ranging from animal tracks and isotopic ratios to cosmic background radiation. For any sign to signify something, it requires a specific context; while animals like ants rely on instinctive biological "maps" for orientation, human interpretation involves a different cognitive framework. The central thesis highlights the difference between what things signify inherently and what an individual intends to convey by using those signs. This capacity for intentional meaning allows for complex communication but also introduces the potential for deception and falsehood. Since signs can be used to represent reality, they can also be manipulated to mislead others. Such deliberate deception inherently requires a conscious intent, distinguishing the human act of "meaning" from the mere natural signification found in the environment.