We talk about arguments that way because we conceive of them that way-and we act according to the way we conceive of things. Think about the different feelings you feel if I told you this ‘argument’ is structured in terms of battle or structured in terms of dance. Metaphors reveal and hide parts of reality:
Because so many of the concepts that are important to us are either abstract or not clearly delineated in our experience (the emotions, ideas, time, etc.), we need to get a grasp on them by means of other concepts that we understand in clearer terms (spatial orientations, objects, etc.).
Metaphor pervades our normal conceptual system. Metaphor plays an essential role in characterising the structure of our experiences. If we are right in suggesting that our conceptual system is largely metaphorical, then the way we think, what we experience, and what we do every day is very much a matter of metaphor. Our conceptual system thus plays a central role in defining our everyday realities. Our concepts structure what we perceive, how we get around in the world, and how we relate to other people. Our ordinary conceptual system, in terms of which we both think and act, is fundamentally metaphorical in nature. We draw inferences, set goals, make commitments, and execute plans, all on the basis of how we in part structure our experience, consciously and unconsciously, by means of metaphor. Metaphor is one of our most important tools for trying to comprehend partially what cannot be comprehended totally: our feelings, aesthetic experiences, moral practices, and spiritual awareness. Most of our indirect understanding involves understanding one kind of entity or experience in terms of another kind-that is, understanding via metaphor. Metaphor is principally a way of conceiving of one thing in terms of another, and its primary function is understanding. If you’re interested to understand how words shape your world then you’ll love this.Īristotle: “ But the greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor” (Poetics 1459a) “ordinary words convey only what we know already it is from metaphor that we can best get hold of something fresh” (Rhetoric 1410b). Take this summary slow, it’s an absolute beast but the content is profound. To say that this book will change the way you see the world is an understatement. Before we read Metaphors to Live by we had no idea how powerful and pervasive metaphors are in everyday life. Metaphors We Live By Book Summary is an in-depth summary on the topic of metaphors.
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