In science, metaphors are not intended to provide a solution to a given problem and have no explanatory power. In contrast, Analogies do have this power and enable us to make connections to understand the functioning of a given system based on the knowledge acquired on another system.
Much the same way as scientific hypotheses, Metaphors and Analogies are transitory, always adjusting to technological advances. The Brain-Computer is usually referred to as a metaphor, but it should be thought of as an analogy instead. This analogy has raised a harsh debate in the scientific community, with some taking it literally, whereas the very meaning of analogies implies only a partial overlap of properties.
The Brain is the product of about million years of biological evolution, the Computer is a human-made artifact whose construction narrative started less than years ago. In trying to understand what is usually regarded as the most complex structure in the Universe, metaphors and analogies might prove fruitful. For example, analogies and knowledge derived from Network Science may contribute to understand how parts of the brain s work, learn about its degree of flexibility, neural network structure, and the functional role of synaptic distribution and density.
We may also ask if self-organization phenomena play a role in shaping Brain any brain architecture and evolution. While we may like to think that our concept of morality is rational, based on careful reasoning, psychology research has shown that much of it is based on intuitive emotions, such as disgust. And, like physical and social warmth, physical and moral disgust are also linked in our minds, which can lead to surprising consequences. For instance, University of Cambridge psychologist Simone Schnall found that evoking a sense of physical disgust by exposing people to a bad smell caused people to make more severe moral judgements.
Metaphors, even when they are on the page, evoke physical sensations in our mind. Metaphors are physical and visceral, causing us to simulate certain sensations in our mind, which may be a reason why they hold such power over our thoughts.
Metaphors lurk in our language, our thoughts, our assessments of people and situations, and even in the cup of coffee you are holding. Perhaps this is why we are so moved by poetry and art. Our brains think using metaphor, and when art gives us new metaphors, it could also be giving us new ways to think. Outside the realm of art, we can be mindful of the metaphors that exist all around us and the influence they have on our thoughts. We can also be wary when others use them to try to distort reality or shape our opinions.
Words matter, and if we are careful with our words, we can use them to make a positive impact. Like poets, we can approach our language with grace and precision, crafting metaphors that are persuasive and give people new ways to think about issues. By providing your email, you agree to the Quartz Privacy Policy. Skip to navigation Skip to content. Discover Membership. Editions Quartz. More from Quartz About Quartz. For Aristotle it was the process of giving something a name belonging to something else.
Metaphors carry meaning across from one thing to another. Metaphors transfer all kinds of connotations, associations and connections — more than exchanging words, they exchange concepts and ideas. Many scientists, including Albert Einstein, have used metaphor to explain theories.
So what makes a good — or effective — metaphor? The simile is the close relation of the metaphor, and shares many of its qualities. Both similes and metaphors often make the unfamiliar familiar, but when a surprising comparison makes you reconsider a familiar experience such as going to bed being like a polar bear flopping on to an ice floe it can be the opposite: making the familiar unfamiliar.
Through defamiliarisation, metaphor helps stop us being desensitised to the everyday and awakens our senses. We look much more intensely at this than we would at a normal apple, but after studying the painting, we see an ordinary apple anew. Effective metaphor has the same eye-opening power. But a successful metaphor also depends on what the person using it hopes to achieve. These metaphors were undoubtedly not accidental.
And what constitutes a bad metaphor or simile?
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