Introduction to Project

Introduction

The improvement of understanding is for two ends: first, our own increase of knowledge; secondly, to enable us to deliver that knowledge to others.

– John Locke

 

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 degree 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 metaphors. 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 use 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 identify tangible objects, 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, due to the pressures that will be addressed below, 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?”

I argue that this cognitive shift occurred when humans began to develop a wider and deeper array of needs, an evolvement from less biological to more psychological needs. Social interaction is the pressure that selected for language, and when our ancestors began to use 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 develops the conclusion drawn in the first section, that metaphor is the foundation of our conceptual system. 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. The most important types of metaphors for understanding this concept are conceptual metaphors. 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.

As section one points out, human 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 and tangible 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 are fundamental cognitive tools and become powerful and important when they 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.

It is important for educators to ask themselves, “What is education?” For example, is it centered on growth or production? One might argue that 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, where 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 on to explain how educators who have the best way to view the education system, 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 conscious 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 a teaching tool helps students 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. Metaphors in the classroom assist students of all socioeconomic backgrounds to succeed and grow as individuals. Students can better explain and understand themselves and those around them. Students can gain strategies to better reason, create, and explore in their surroundings. They can better perceive, interpret, and enhance their understanding of the unfamiliar.

The overall purpose of this paper is to stress how metaphors play a crucial role in influencing thought and shaping behavior. With a grasp of how the effective use of metaphors serves as an effective cognitive tool, we can develop strategies to change the education system to better nurture the growth of future generations.