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.
.
Have a closer look at
the essays Onion
Metaphor
, Highway
Strength Viagra or The
Politics of Inertia for examples of applied metaphor.
