read for Cognitive Science at UCB

This book provides a new and interesting approach to the study of metaphors, which are seen as deeply rooted in our cultural background and not just a simple linguistic device.

I think that this new approach can be of interest to the general public, since it suggests a new perspective to think upon. The book is intended for the general public: it's easy to understand, well presented, and concise.

However, this feature cannot appeal to a more informed audience, since the book does not provide footnotes or cross-references to delve more deeply into this interesting matter. ( )

Excellent food for thought. I think that most everyone has read bits of this book, but it was worth it to read the whole thing - it digs further into philosophy at the end, which is really wonderful and interesting. ( )

Excellent food for thought. I think that most everyone has read bits of this book, but it was worth it to read the whole thing - it digs further into philosophy at the end, which is really wonderful and interesting. ( )

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

The now-classic Metaphors We Live By changed our understanding of metaphor and its role in language and the mind. Metaphor, the authors explain, is a fundamental mechanism of mind, one that allows us to use what we know about our physical and social experience to provide understanding of countless other subjects. Because such metaphors structure our most basic understandings of our experience, they are "metaphors we live by"--metaphors that can shape our perceptions and actions without our ever noticing them.

In this updated edition of Lakoff and Johnson's influential book, the authors supply an afterword surveying how their theory of metaphor has developed within the cognitive sciences to become central to the contemporary understanding of how we think and how we express our thoughts in language.

From the Inside Flap

The now-classic Metaphors We Live By changed our understanding of metaphor and its role in language and the mind. Metaphor, the authors explain, is a fundamental mechanism of mind, one that allows us to use what we know about our physical and social experience to provide understanding of countless other subjects. Because such metaphors structure our most basic understandings of our experience, they are "metaphors we live by"-metaphors that can shape our perceptions and actions without our ever noticing them.

In this updated edition of Lakoff and Johnson's influential book, the authors supply an afterword surveying how their theory of metaphor has developed within the cognitive sciences to become central to the contemporary understanding of how we think and how we express our thoughts in language.

A real change-your-life book; get it; read it! ( )

Starts off slow as the authors give numerous instances of how metaphors are used. I get more excited about larger philosophical ideas so all these instances were slow reading for me. If, like me, you are not someone working in the field then you will need to wait till chapter 21 before the bigger picture starts to emerge. But then the interesting ideas really start flying around.

"New metaphors have the power to create a new reality" - pg. 145 ( )