Metaphor and Thought

By Andrew Ortony (editor),

Book cover of Metaphor and Thought

Book description

Metaphor and Thought, first published in 1979, reflects the surge of interest in and research into the nature and function of metaphor in language and thought. In this revised and expanded second edition, the editor has invited the contributors to update their original essays to reflect any changes in their…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Metaphor and Thought as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This is a recommendation for those who want to go into a bit more depth with metaphor. The book is an edited collection of chapters written by experts who explore how metaphor constructs our reality, looking at metaphor as forms of language, and metaphor as forms of mental representation. Admittedly, there’s a little more jargon in this one, but the chapters are an excellent starting point for reflecting on the applications and implications of the way we talk and why it matters.

This collection contains articles by many of the leading writers on metaphor and provides an excellent overview of its psychological and philosophical ramifications. Metaphor is discussed in relation to language, thought, meaning, society, science, and education. For example, metaphor contributes to science through fertile new concepts like natural selection, and to education through ways of connecting new concepts with old ones. 

From Paul's list on metaphor.

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