  One of the costs of this style, however, is that at times it can be hard to tell precisely what William thinks. Too often he lets metaphors or analogies bear the argumentative burden in lieu of more careful analysis. And while William's inventive mind could generate arguments for a position with ease, their quality is uneven: often he proposes problematic arguments without appearing to recognize the difficulties they contain, as may be apparent below to the discerning reader, while at other times he shows an acute awareness of the fundamental problems an issue raises.