Liquid Metaphors of Mind

When we talk about states of mind or states of consciousness we often use substance metaphors, particularly liquids, in which different modes of cognition are represented as different types of liquid behavior. These include 'flow', 'absorption', 'streams of consciousness', and 'oceanic' experiences.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• consciousness
• mind
• metaphor
• cognition
• liquid
• substance
• Czikszentmihalyi
• phenomenology
• zen
• archery
• alpha
• flow
• psychology

[conferencereport]

Absolutely, and from my understanding of cognitive linguistics (Lakoff and Johnson etc) much more of our understanding is metaphorical than previously imagined. I have heard figures up to 95% quoted, which is really exciting.

[2bsirius]

Yes, I agree that it might be a good strategy to keep in mind the possibility that sometimes those things which society commonly consider to be metaphors, aren't....On the other hand, don't we have to use such a technique judiciously? If it actually IS a metaphor, it might be important to see it as such to maintain a good grasp of what is real.

[conferencereport]

Thanks for the reminder about Heraclitus, which led me on to think of Thales, so all good stuff. David Icke is widely assumed to be mad, which may well be true for what I've seen and read. One of the things I find interesting about his particular brand of eccentricity is how he tends to take literally what most people would assume to be metaphors.

[2bsirius]

Oops, it's actually David Icke...I've never read him, so I wasn't sure.

[2bsirius]

The mind is in many ways like the river of Heraclitus. David Ickes? Please tell me I misheard your reference there...You didn't mean David Ickes, did you?