Comments on: Metaphor, fundamentalism and the interpretation of life http://evilbender.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/metaphor-fundamentalism-and-the-interpretation-of-life/ poetry, politics, reason, morality Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:30:49 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: luaphacim http://evilbender.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/metaphor-fundamentalism-and-the-interpretation-of-life/#comment-4237 luaphacim Mon, 19 Mar 2007 13:54:53 +0000 http://evilbender.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/metaphor-fundamentalism-and-the-interpretation-of-life/#comment-4237 I'm no Frenchie, but I think "pute" (a shortening of "putain") would be a fairly good approximation to "bitch" in English. This form is a cognate with the Spanish "puta," which is also semantically very close to "bitch." The only major difference in this semantic cluster is that "pute" and "puta" also have strong connotations of prostitution, and although "bitch" can have that meaning as well, it is not a prototypical one. On the topic of metaphors, have you read George Lakoff and Mark Johnson's <i>Metaphor</i>? They would agree that we use metaphor to organize the world, and they even go so far as to suggest that metaphor is what <i>enables</i> human cognition at all. For a similar approach with more examples and applications for linguistics, check out Zoltan Kovecses's <i>Metaphor: A Practical Introduction</i>. My two cents: just as it is important not to let fundamentalism trump empirical evidence, I think it's equally important not to engage in wholesale iconoclasm without careful consideration. The fact that we have the <i>capability</i> to come up with complex, cohesive systems does not necessarily mean that we <i>have</i> cosntructed every such system. And specifically, I hold out a lot of hope that some such systems have origins outside of both us and the natural universe. Finally, I would also ask (with my tongue halfway into my cheek) whether the ability to construct metaphorical systems could be part of our heritage as beings created in God's image (if that is in fact the case). And yes, I realize that this idea could very well depend rather heavily on circular logic. :-) I’m no Frenchie, but I think “pute” (a shortening of “putain”) would be a fairly good approximation to “bitch” in English. This form is a cognate with the Spanish “puta,” which is also semantically very close to “bitch.” The only major difference in this semantic cluster is that “pute” and “puta” also have strong connotations of prostitution, and although “bitch” can have that meaning as well, it is not a prototypical one.

On the topic of metaphors, have you read George Lakoff and Mark Johnson’s Metaphor? They would agree that we use metaphor to organize the world, and they even go so far as to suggest that metaphor is what enables human cognition at all. For a similar approach with more examples and applications for linguistics, check out Zoltan Kovecses’s Metaphor: A Practical Introduction.

My two cents: just as it is important not to let fundamentalism trump empirical evidence, I think it’s equally important not to engage in wholesale iconoclasm without careful consideration. The fact that we have the capability to come up with complex, cohesive systems does not necessarily mean that we have cosntructed every such system. And specifically, I hold out a lot of hope that some such systems have origins outside of both us and the natural universe.

Finally, I would also ask (with my tongue halfway into my cheek) whether the ability to construct metaphorical systems could be part of our heritage as beings created in God’s image (if that is in fact the case). And yes, I realize that this idea could very well depend rather heavily on circular logic. :-)

]]> By: Switzerland is Impossible « Digital Reason http://evilbender.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/metaphor-fundamentalism-and-the-interpretation-of-life/#comment-4228 Switzerland is Impossible « Digital Reason Mon, 19 Mar 2007 01:00:18 +0000 http://evilbender.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/metaphor-fundamentalism-and-the-interpretation-of-life/#comment-4228 [...] moment, so I’m going to jot down a post on a topic I feel is of great importance. A unique post was recently written by Evil Bender, one of my favorite atheist bloggers. He states “Humans, [...] [...] moment, so I’m going to jot down a post on a topic I feel is of great importance. A unique post was recently written by Evil Bender, one of my favorite atheist bloggers. He states “Humans, [...]

]]> By: The Lizard Queen http://evilbender.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/metaphor-fundamentalism-and-the-interpretation-of-life/#comment-4222 The Lizard Queen Sun, 18 Mar 2007 15:50:10 +0000 http://evilbender.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/metaphor-fundamentalism-and-the-interpretation-of-life/#comment-4222 Nicely put; I enjoyed reading it. Incidentally, I see the rabbit on the moon... wonder what that says about me... Nicely put; I enjoyed reading it.

Incidentally, I see the rabbit on the moon… wonder what that says about me…

]]> By: poppies http://evilbender.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/metaphor-fundamentalism-and-the-interpretation-of-life/#comment-4218 poppies Sun, 18 Mar 2007 06:21:29 +0000 http://evilbender.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/metaphor-fundamentalism-and-the-interpretation-of-life/#comment-4218 That was an eloquent, fascinating post EB. You've made me think about metaphors and fundamentalism in ways I haven't before. That was an eloquent, fascinating post EB. You’ve made me think about metaphors and fundamentalism in ways I haven’t before.

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