SELF-REFERENCE Which is "this sentence"?
A pointing, self-referential language is always animistic. Pointing or referring is always a mapping, and mappings are intentional.

Thus, a self-referential syntax must be transcendentally ideal. Whereas, all of mathematics is currently transcendentally real. The difference between them is that the former sets up syntax through enabling (intentional) conditions, while the latter sets up syntax through the syntax itself.

Transcendental idealism and transcendental realism are the two mutually exhaustive and exclusive possible interpretations of syntax.

In other words, a mathematics that deploys a transcendentally ideal syntax is animistic and independent of a mathematics that deploys a transcendentally real syntax. Self-reference cannot be represented in our current transcendentally real mathematics.