Chuck, (& Don, Jerry, Terry, et al,)
I'll go one more than that.
I'd say that all models are metaphors; it's a not a stretch for me to
imagine a metaphor as you've described, but far, far more rigorous, being
essentially equivalent to a scientific theory. What I'm suggesting is that
there's a spectrum here - with metaphor on one side and "model" on the other
- and that where on the spectrum we are depends on, among other things, our
intention for the model/metaphor, the quality and amount of information
available, etc.
Cheers.
Fil
On 5 April 2010 13:53, Charles Burnette <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Don, Fil, Peter, Jerry,Terry and listers
> Interesting discussion. To me the issue lies in selection and recognition
> and selection, both of the metaphor and of those elements within its scope
> relevant to a focal situation. That implies that metaphors are found
> intentionally - by searching, however subconsciously, for references of
> relevance to some, sometimes poorly formed, but situated goals . Within that
> search some process must seek to match entities of concern in the focal
> situation to elements within the source. At this level ( "probably"
> emotionally driven) the brain is "probably" considering personal knowledge
> as well as circumstances of the situation that have been internalized. I
> suspect that the selection of a metaphor that is able to "inform" an
> intention is a "trained process" perhaps similar to a constructivist network
> or the product of one of Terry's complex systems. It relies on accumulated
> experience and a kind of "poetic" imagination. These are all stretches for
> understanding but that is what is needed here it seems.
>
> In his book "Mindsight" the philosopher Colin McGinn has made a good case
> for the intentionality of imagination and its relational nature that seems
> to support the shift in understanding metaphor evident in this discussion.
>
> Thanks to everyone for contributing to this thread.
> Chuck
>
>
--
Filippo A. Salustri, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Ryerson University
350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON
M5B 2K3, Canada
Tel: 416/979-5000 ext 7749
Fax: 416/979-5265
Email: [log in to unmask]
http://deseng.ryerson.ca/~fil/
|