Introduction Revised

Now that I am in my second semester of writing my honors thesis, I have gone back to the very beginning, and have written my introduction. This has made me really focus on how I plan on bring my whole work together. When writing a paper that is 80+ pages, it is easy to get swept away from the real core of the paper. By writing my introduction at this time, I am now able to see which parts of my thesis need the most work. So, here is how my overall thesis will play out. Keep in mind this is a rough draft:

Introduction

The traditional theory of metaphor, which has persisted for twenty-five hundred years in the philosophical and literary tradition, treats metaphor as irrelevant to fundamental questions about the nature of the world and knowledge of it, but these traditional views must be challenged. Today, we live in a society with a great sense of social organization, and we continually communicate abstractly through the use of facial expressions and bodily gestures, as well as through the use of tropes, non-literal verbal extensions, specifically metaphor. Metaphors are unavoidable because they are built right into our language. In fact, they may be humanity’s primary mode of mental operation.

This paper is broken into three main sections, each of which works through various philosophical theories to try and answer the question of why metaphors are cognitively important. The first section addresses human and language evolution, and explores possible theories of explanation for why humans have abstract language. When thinking about human communication it is easy to understand why the first humans would have developed a word for “water,” or “poison.” This terminology was necessary in order for human ancestors to fulfill basic needs and keep out of harm’s way. However, language development did not end here. This same system of symbols continued to evolve, and gave rise to a higher level of communication that articulates abstract and intangible thoughts and ideas. The big questions seeking an answer in this section are, “why did human communication not stop at the basic level?” and “what was the language system trying to keep up with?”

It is argued that this cognitive shift occurred when humans began to develop a wider and deeper array of needs, and evolvement from less biological to more psychological needs. Social interaction is the pressure that selected for language, and when our ancestors began to learn language, symbols were also created. These symbols set the whole process of language evolution in motion, and today, children automatically acquire a mastery of these abstract thinking skills. This paper supports the argument that children become linguistically and culturally competent members of their community through interactions with their caregivers and other members of their community. This shows that language is proven necessary to consciously perceive and understand how every single human experience plays a crucial role in defining one’s reality.

The second part of this paper emphasizes the conclusion drawn in the first section, that metaphor is the foundation of our conceptual system. While we may lack an adequate account of metaphorical thought, there is a lot to be learned from this abstract way of thinking. Metaphors are not merely stylistic, but are also cognitively important. Metaphors are pervasive in everyday life – not just in language, but in thought and action. Conceptual metaphors allow for us to understand and experience one thing in terms of another. A commonly seen conceptual metaphor is “argument is war”. This metaphor shapes our language in the way we view argument as a battle to be won. In debates, teams “attack” the weak points of their opponents’ arguments, and in the end one team “wins” and the other “loses”. These metaphors are not only prevalent in our language, but we perceive and act in accordance with them.

Our human and language evolution has given rise to a language system that allows for humans to communicate about non-empirical concepts. Because of the close-knit relationship between metaphors and human cognition, people have the ability to communicate about abstract and intangible experiences. Metaphors facilitate the understanding of one conceptual domain, typically an abstract one, through expressions that relate to another, more familiar conceptual domain. For example, think of theories as buildings: we build a foundation for them, a framework, support them with strong arguments, hoping they will stand.

After gaining a higher understanding of how metaphors are important for the improvement of understanding at two ends – increasing our own knowledge and enabling us to deliver that knowledge to others – the paper moves into its third section. Here, the philosophy of education is introduced and theories about curriculum and the process of learning are explored. Metaphors as cognitive tools become powerful and important when looking at how they can shape and transform the classroom setting. When fitting, metaphor can successfully render the unfamiliar more familiar by helping to build ideas into structured wholes. It is in this sense that metaphor brings about learning. First, it is important for educators to ask themselves, “What is education?” For example, is it centered on growth or production? The best metaphor to use when thinking about education is “education is growth”, because this metaphor fosters the individuality and creativity of students. This is in contrast with “education is production”, which views students as mere objects being sent down an assembly line. This model results in educators playing a more passive role in students’ education. Teachers follow a structured curriculum and implement material that has already been set for the students to learn, rather than actively working to enhance their own curriculum, which could more effectively meet the individual needs of students.

The paper then moves to explain how once educators have an understanding of the best way to view the education system, they can then strategize how to use metaphors in their teaching and learning environments. The usage of metaphor in the classroom can be a powerful pedagogical approach, specifically because metaphors help shape behavior. Curriculums which support and encourage the usage of metaphors have been shown to enhance student learning through the increased retention of material by assisting with the understanding of complex ideas and topics. Metaphor allows for the teacher to convey a potentially unfamiliar concept by relating it to a concept all students are familiar with. This usage of metaphors as teaching tools allows students to recognize patterns and draw connections between ideas. When students are able to more easily comprehend the subject matter at hand, they can then pursue further interest and investigation of the subject matter. Through the use of metaphors in the classroom, students of all socioeconomic backgrounds can succeed and grow as individuals. Most students can better explain and understand themselves and those around them. Students can gain strategies for how to better reason, create, and explore in their surroundings. They can then perceive, interpret, and enhance their understanding of the unfamiliar.

Today, it is important to think about future outcomes. Our society remains faced with challenges that need addressing. The achievement gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” continues to grow across our country, and this deficit is attributed to the issue of the “literacy gap”. Research studies indicate that an estimated 32 million adults in the United States – about one in seven – have such low literacy skills that it is tough for them to read and comprehend anything more challenging than a children’s picture book. The big question for educators and others interested in curriculum development is, “What can we do?”  Something needs to be done to reach out to minority, low-income, and ESL learners to bridge the gap and bring about feelings of universality in the classroom. If educators and policy makers do not act, history will only repeat itself; adults who lack adequate literacy skills are likely to be unemployed or earning only a subsistent wage. This leaves these adults unable to help their children prepare for school and support their learning at home.

Poverty does not cause illiteracy, but rather illiteracy causes poverty. This paper suggests that the gap can be bridged through the use of metaphors in the classroom. Metaphors allow for people to communicate feelings and experiences in a way that cannot be expressed in literal terms. By providing equal opportunity in education to all children, the next generation is sure to be empowered with the necessary skills for success in today’s advancing society. Metaphor is relevant to every aspect of the human condition, and therefore should be regarded as valuable in society.  With a handle on these facts, educators and policy makers can understand the struggles of our current time, and work towards building a stronger society, one child at a time.