George Lakoff

George Lakoff is a huge influence for me (see Philosophy — my most influential thinkers

Key Theories

1. Conceptual Metaphor Theory - Metaphors aren’t just poetic devices but fundamental structures that shape how we think. We understand abstract concepts through concrete experiences (e.g., understanding “love” as a “journey”).
2. Cognitive Framing - How issues are presented linguistically influences how we perceive them. Political discourse depends heavily on strategic framing.
3. Family Models in Politics - Lakoff suggests that conservative and progressive politics reflect different family models: the “strict father” (conservative) versus the “nurturant parent” (progressive).
4. Embodied Mind - Our conceptual systems are grounded in physical experiences and bodily interactions with the world.
5. Prototype Theory - Categories in our mind are organized around prototypical examples rather than by necessary and sufficient conditions.

One influential study of Lakoff’s concepts examined how framing “taxes” affects people’s attitudes. When taxes were framed as “membership fees” for societal benefits rather than “burdens,” people showed significantly more positive attitudes toward taxation. This demonstrates how linguistic framing can shift public opinion on policy issues by activating different mental models - showing that political discourse isn’t just about facts but about which cognitive frameworks are activated through language choices.

Research

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Internal