OT Saturday: Richard Feynman inadvertently but gloriously explores the limits, uses and failings of analogies.

[Franz Bieberkopf]

[Jim Giberti] “Saying that there’s something inherently wrong with analogies is like saying there’s something inherently wrong with Italian food or Impressionism.”

Jim,

Who said there’s anything inherently wrong with analogies? Chris Harlan’s title is “limits, uses, and failings”. You seem to think that the intention is “problems with analogies”, when it’s clearly larger than that.

I first saw this clip over a year ago, and I remember it well. Beautiful stuff.

Franz.

[Jim Giberti]

[Chris Harlan] “He’s just so Baroque.

Plus, I love that he actually gets across what that “feeling” is when you push to magnets together.”

He’s amazing.

From a writing, storytelling standpoint I have great respect for well crafted analogies, and from a technical standpoint too.

But I agree, nothing’s more frustrating than weak and arbitrary analogies (and any analogy that includes the word nazi.)

In a real sense, American culture is fueled by bad analogies.

And that sucks.

[Jim Giberti]

[Franz Bieberkopf] ”
Who said there’s anything inherently wrong with analogies? Chris Harlan’s title is “limits, uses, and failings”. You seem to think that the intention is “problems with analogies”, when it’s clearly larger than that.”

No, I just chose to counter with the potential limits and failing of analogies with the potential and success of analogies.

I don’t think either is larger or smaller in context.

I was just having a little fun by ending my post with an analogy.

[Franz Bieberkopf]

Jim,

It’s true – Feynman is addressing problems in language, or problems in the way we use language to convey scientific models and understanding. By focusing on the problems, though, he isn’t discounting those fields where it blooms. In fact, he’s quite adept with the tool.

What I remember most is how he emphasizes the difference between what most people mean by “understanding” and what science means by “understanding”.

There was an article I read recently about a theory that language itself is based on metaphor at a fundamental level; memory is foggy tonight and I can’t find it with searches, though it’s out there in the zeitgeist.

… all this assuming “simile”, “metaphor”, and “analogy” as synonymous.

Franz.

[Jim Giberti]

[Franz Bieberkopf] “There was an article I read recently about a theory that language itself is based on metaphor at a fundamental level;”

Absolutely.
That reminds me very much of something I remember from Carl Sagan a while ago, discussing the origins of language.
Specifically the expression “shhhhh” as a pre-language warning representing the sound and potential threat of a snake.

[Bill Davis]

[Jim Giberti] “(and any analogy that includes the word nazi.)”

OK, now THATS funny.

[Jim Giberti] “In a real sense, American culture is fueled by bad analogies.

And that sucks.
“

But zen conversely, Jim – if the bad ones don’t exist – then the good ones can’t either.

; )

“Before speaking out ask yourself whether your words are true, whether they are respectful and whether they are needed in our civil discussions.”-Justice O’Connor

[Steve Connor]

Thanks for posting that, I hadn’t seen that clip before. He brings to mind the Ruler of The Universe from ” The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy”

Steve Connor
“FCPX Agitator”
Adrenalin Television

[David Lawrence]

So excellent. Thanks for posting, Chris.

_______________________
David Lawrence
art~media~design~research
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[Jamie Thorne]

Douglas Hofstadter “Analogy as the Core of Cognition”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8m7lFQ3njk&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL1030E8B19AA14A9E

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[Chris Harlan]

Jamie, I’m quite looking forward to listening to this lecture as soon as I’ve got an hour to slot it. I’ve always wanted to read GEB, but have never gotten around to it.