COGNITIVE METAPHOR THEORY AND THE SHAPING OF THOUGHT IN SCIENCE AND POLITICS
Abstract
Metaphor has traditionally been considered a rhetorical or literary device used to embellish language. However, Cognitive Metaphor Theory (CMT), developed by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson in Metaphors We Live By (1980), reframed metaphor as a fundamental mechanism of human cognition. According to CMT, metaphors are not merely linguistic expressions but conceptual mappings that structure thought and experience. This article explores how metaphors shape reasoning and decision-making, particularly within scientific discourse and political communication. Drawing from linguistic, psychological, and social research, it demonstrates that metaphors influence not only how individuals conceptualize abstract domains but also how societies justify policies, interpret data, and construct ideologies. By examining examples from scientific modeling and political framing, the paper argues that metaphors serve as cognitive tools that both enable and constrain thought, shaping our understanding of reality itself
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References
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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