Analogy as the Core of Cognition

I don't know why, but I was reminded of Douglas Hofstadter's talk: Analogy is cognition: ▶ this video .

Douglas Hofstader has a funny anecdote about superscript and subscript 21:30 @ Analogy as the Core of Cognition ▶ this video

I have following 3 suggestions regarding analogies. [1] Analogies in Fundamental physics Lecture by Douglas Hofstadter: Albert Einstein on Light; Light on Albert Einstein : link “Where does deep insight in physics come from? For those who view physics as a highly rational science grounded in strict mathematics, it is tempting to think that it comes from the purest and most precise of reasoning, following ironclad laws of thought that compel the clear mind completely rigidly. And yet the truth is quite otherwise. One finds, when one looks closely at any major discovery in physics, that the greatest of physicists are the most daring and are constantly being guided by blurry, instinctive, nearly irrational mental forces. Albert Einstein ideally exemplifies this thesis. In this talk, I will discuss the eternal mystery of light, which, over the course of millennia, was puzzled over, pondered on, and slowly worked out by a series of great minds, and finally, in the nineteenth century, was definitively settled with clarity and rock-solid certainty. And yet one day in the early spring of 1905, quite out of the blue, came an absurd-seeming new suggestion from an unknown Swiss patent clerk, third class, clashing violently with that rock-solid piece of collective wisdom. How did the brazen patent clerk come up with this crazy idea? How it was received by the physics world? What was its eventual fate? And what can we learn about the workings of the human mind from this twisty story fil

I'm a fan of Douglas Hofstadter's (of Godel Escher Bach fame) view that "analogy is the core of cognition"† On this view, I guess the question of whether to utilize analogy or not is reduced to the question of which analogy would be most useful, since all categorization (and thus, much of thought in general) is essentially analogical thinking. † ▶ this video

For more on metaphors, check out Douglas Hofstadter’s fascinating talk on “Analogy as the core of cognition”: ▶ this video Ended up inspiring Melanie Mitchell, and became a driving theme of her research :-)

No discussion about concepts, analogy and metaphor is complete with a mention of Analogy as the Core of Cognition ▶ this video by Douglas Hofstadter

Anything by Doug Hofstadter * Analogies are the core of thinking link * Analogy as the Core of Cognition ▶ this video If you haven't read Godel, Escher & Bach, go read it now. Will change your thinking.

Some say analogies are at the very core of our cognition. ▶ this video Even if you don't agree, it's an interesting and fun talk to watch.

Feynman would be proud of your explanation. Douglas Hofstadter, "Analogy as the Core of Cognition" ▶ this video

Also of interest: Hofstadters lecture about analogy on youtube ▶ this video Also some earlier work on the subject link link I have also written a review on this very interesting book "Surfaces and Essences: Analogy as the Fuel and Fire of Thinking" link

Somewhat related to this subject of the link between concepts and words/phrases, the utility of clichés, etc., I strongly recommend Douglas Hofstadter’s lecture, “Analogy as the Core of Cognition”, ▶ this video