Metaphors We Live By

I picked up Metaphors We Live By, by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, to learn more about theoretical underpinnings of Lakoff’s Moral Politics. They argue that metaphors play a prominent role in human communication and how people comprehend the world.

For example, the metaphor ARGUMENT IS WAR manifests itself in a variety of phrases, such as “Your claims are indefensible” and “He attacked every weak point in my argument”. The authors examine the variety, structure, and coherence of metaphors, making a strong case that they reflect something more substantive and significant than mere linguistic shorthand. They propose an experiential approach to philosophy, emphasizing metaphor, as an alternative to objectivism or subjectivism.

Still, Metaphors We Live By was less rewarding than Moral Politics, in part because political thought interests me more than philosophy and linguistics do. The basic idea is sound, but the subtleties became repetitive after a while. Though I’m still curious to learn more about cognitive science, I’ll seek out another author’s perspective.