Frontiers of Philosophy in China >

2011 , Vol. 6 >Issue 3: 480 - 491

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11466-011-0151-5

research-article

Abduction and Metaphor: An Inquiry into Common Cognitive Mechanism

  • XU Cihua , 1 ,
  • LI Hengwei 2
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  • 1. Center for the Study of Language and Cognition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China
  • 2. Center for the Study of Language and Cognition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China

Published date: 05 Sep 2011

Copyright

2014 Higher Education Press and Brill
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Abstract

Abduction and metaphor are two significant concepts in cognitive science. It is found that the both mental processes are on the basis of certain similarity. The similarity inspires us to seek the answers to the following two questions: (1) Whether there is a common cognitive mechanism behind abduction and metaphor? And (2) if there is, whether this common mechanism could be interpreted within the unified frame of modern intelligence theory? Centering on these two issues, the paper attempts to characterize and interpret the generation and evolution of scientific metaphors from the perspective of the cognitive mechanism of abductive inference. Then it interprets the common cognitive mechanism behind abduction and metaphor within Hawkins’ frame of intelligence theory. The commonality between abduction and metaphor indicates the potential to further explore human intelligence.

Key words： abduction; metaphor; common cognitive mechanism; memoryprediction

Cite this article

XU Cihua , LI Hengwei . Abduction and Metaphor: An Inquiry into Common Cognitive Mechanism[J]. Frontiers of Philosophy in China, 2011 , 6(3) : 480 -491 . DOI: 10.1007/s11466-011-0151-5

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