This study examines the relationship between spoken and written word, taking as its starting point Plato's critique of writing in the Phaedrus. Although traditional interpretations emphasize the superiority of speech due to its capacity for dialogical self-defense, the author argues that these criticisms apply equally to the spoken word, as both are mere carriers of meaning. The fundamental issue is not the medium itself but the authenticity and correctness of instruction. With the advent of conceptual thinking, the focus shifts from the act of thinking (cogitatio cogitans) to the object of thought (cogitatio cogitatum) and specifically to its intentum—that which is intended by the thought. The paper highlights that the essence of communication lies not in its material form, but in the intended meaning. Access to this intentum remains strictly bound to linguistic contexts and communicative forms. Ultimately, the author moves beyond the debate over the priority of speech versus writing, focusing instead on the conceptual content that writing helped establish and refine throughout the history of civilization.