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From: bwk@mbunix.mitre.org (Barry W. Kort)
Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng
Subject: Re: What is the difference between a metaphor and a mental model?
Summary: Metaphors are literary devices, mental models are cognitive tools.
Keywords: Mental Models, Metaphors
Message-ID: <76578@linus.UUCP>
Date: 29 Oct 89 23:26:45 GMT
References: <31966@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Sender: news@linus.UUCP
Reply-To: bwk@mbunix (Barry Kort)
Organization: The Ferchachta Corporation, Bedford, Mass.
Lines: 18

In article <31966@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> thom@dewey.soe.berkeley.edu.UUCP
(Thom Gillespie) writes:

 > It seems to me that you can find metaphors but you can't find
 > mental models.  Is this my imagination?  Please don't tell me
 > that a mental model is a bunch of metaphors.  I was browsing
 > thru Donald Normans book "User Centered System Design" and
 > noticed that there is no index entry for metaphors, just for
 > mental models.  So where have all the metaphors gone?

Metaphors and symbolism are popular among writers.  Parables
are popular among clergymen, bards and healers.  Analogies
and mental models are popular among scientists and philosophers.

You will find a lot of metaphors and symbolism, for example,
in the charming children's stories of C. S. Lewis.

--Barry Kort