I suppose we're likely saying similar things but using different
language for it. I see humans as " hard analogy" makers. I think
that, during development (which in a very real sense, never ends
until we're dead - as we're always learning _something_ novel),
we're always making metaphors to assist comprehension. It's not
always a one-to-one correspondence, as we have a greater
capability to form connections among our neurons than we do
"outside of ourselves".. Hand moves around ball. Grasp ball.
Feel weight. Pick up ball. Put ball in mouth. Taste. Throw ball
away. Feel acceleration, lightening of hand, watch ball arc, hit
target, see result. Laugh. Ears hear "ball". Aspects and
capabilities of word "ball" connect with what eyes see and what
we remember about a ball. What else has similar aspects and
capabilities to ball? Ideas. Grasp idea. Feel the gravity of a
concept. (weighty idea). Pick up ideas from places. [like balls
from the floor]. Ideas have flavor. Taste. Throw ideas away.
Ideas accelerate. Weight off your mind. [weight off your hand].
Ideas travel in paths to their destinations and there's a
response. Communication. I'm not merely being poetic here. I
think these connections are very concrete within the brain. They
are primarily experiential at first, although not exclusively
so. The capabilities of language are in there, as is the
capability for me to stand on a balance beam and not fall. But
it takes lots and lots and lots and lots of practice.
ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da I think frustration
drives the learning process as does the good feeling of success.
