When a larger system is looked at, such as the relationship between a computer and the internet, the metaphor becomes a fabric of connecting concepts. This is because we have many words for what seem to be a very limited number of basic principles in the universe. Let's look at a larger metaphorical system.

 

The CPU is the central hub of the computer. Its ports are the gateways through which it may communicate with the rest of the computer. Among these many ports, are ones that allow you to travel the many lanes of the information superhighway. One is wise to have their computer protected by a firewall, which is a protective shell that prevents unwanted bugs from being planted in your computer by hackers. This will give some computers less room to move around in, as much space is needed for the computer to pin up virtual "Wanted - Dead or Alive" posters. As you surf the net, you may run into a few boundaries where a password will be required. The password is your key to such things as e-mail or online banking. When you are finished surfing, it is wise to close your browser window and empty your cache. This will lighten the load on your CPU, so you can do other tasks - such as copying files - without the burden of your travels weighing down the processor.

 

As you see, the basic metaphors from above are very easy to introduce into real-life situations. This is because the ones I've listed are quite simplistic and direct - almost one-dimensional. These simple metaphors are valuable for this reason: All complex systems are built of simple parts; though some parts may serve a multitude of individual functions, each of these functions are usually rudimentary in nature. A car may seem complex on first face, but taken apart and looked at piece-by-piece we find simple components serving simple systems. Entire systems of many kinds are then easily related metaphorically, using a simple pattern of concepts - a template. The workings of a cell and a computer have much in common, for example.

 

Cells process chemicals in much the same way as computers process data -  breaking down longer chemical chains and rearranging and reconstructing them like so many bytes in a CPU.  The ports of a cell can be opened by electroporation to allow us to edit the programming, stored on the DNA, in a process common to genetic engineers. Antibodies are the firewall of the cell, preventing recognized threats from smuggling unwanted materials into the system. Parts of a molecule can be recognized by a cell as if a password; an "open sesame" often used by cunning hackers, such as HIV. If a cell learns a new threat, it will store its "image" on part of its "hard drive", as if a cellular "Wanted" poster. When the cell makes a copy of itself, it goes through a process that ensures no bits of data are lost.

 

A car processes fuel and air into energy. Doors and hoods allow entry into the vehicle, with caps and covers to protect other points of entry for certain materials when not in use. Filters and locks are the firewalls of the car, prevented unwanted harmful materials from entering the central processing unit - the piston chamber. Cars have had little need to develop their immune system further, as the role of memory is provided by the owner: "I'll never buy gas from there again..." we may say, protecting the life of the car from an unscrupulous gas station. The copy process occurs long before we see the car; its DNA is the blueprint; the editing during the copy phase provided by quality control systems and staff.

 

But we need to expand the lists from above. Not by simply throwing in more metaphors, but by getting into far more detail about what actually makes them metaphorically universal. This will be an ongoing project of this site, so come back often to see the progress. Eventually, a root language will appear - a language of metaphors - giving us access to long lists of synonymous metaphors from many different fields. Universal concepts will become letters in this language, joined together to create words or templates, which in turn will allow us to translate one science or jargon into another. It is here that the true value of the Language of Metaphors will be made clear: the ability to take advances made in any science (etc), translate them into conceptual progressions, then apply them to all others. But that dream awaits time, funding and many more brains than mine...