Time for a review. I've took my time, since it's a valuable book but hard.

George Lakoff — Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things

It's a kind of opus magnum. The author puts forward a few theses, that question the classical understanding of thinking and language. Let me try to list a few.

The brain doesn't work like a computer that just processes abstract symbols, but rather all thinking is based on perception. Abstract reasoning is based on imagination, it uses metaphors and image schemas. Some complex ideas ("gestalts") are easier to comprehend than their parts. The syntax of a language cannot be analyzed independently of meanings. The classical categorization that tries to put objects into very specific groups doesn't really work, and real categories are better covered by prototype theory — as a hierarchic structure of categories, with "better" and "worse" examples of members, and motivated relations between them.

What's really important is that every concept is covered in detail, supported by arguments, a discussion of counterarguments, a discussion of other theories, and all of that backed by numerous examples. Unfortunately, that all comes at a price — the book is really huge, sometimes very verbose and repetitive. In my opinion, the language is not very hard and it's suitable for a layperson, but some ideas are hard.

Reading it resembles a bit sifting riverbed for ingots. But as you go forward, your enthusiasm keeps being revived by discovery after discovery. Not only it all makes sense — in retrospect, it seems obvious. You get one "aha!" moment after another, and all that interspersed with curious facts. It wasn't easy, but I dare say — it was worth it.

Quotes:
social.treehouse.systems/@mgor…
social.treehouse.systems/@mgor…
social.treehouse.systems/@mgor…
social.treehouse.systems/@mgor…
social.treehouse.systems/@mgor…
social.treehouse.systems/@mgor…
social.treehouse.systems/@mgor…

Thanks to @3x10to8mps for the recommendation.

#books #bookstodon @bookstodon

We're seeing unprecedented flooding in Europe and in Africa, with many lives lost and massive property damage — while on the other side of the world, in South America...
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Brazil is enduring its worst drought since nationwide measurements began over seven decades ago, with 59% of the country under stress — an area roughly half the size of the U.S.

Major Amazon basin rivers are registering historic lows, and uncontrolled wildfires have ravaged protected areas and spread smoke over a vast expanse, plummeting air quality.

The country has turned into a vast inferno, with at least 11.3 million hectares devastated this year, almost 10 times the size of the Paris region. More than 60% of Brazil is covered by smoke, which is also spreading to neighboring countries.
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NEWS COVERAGE --

"During Brazil’s worst drought, wildfires rage and Amazon River falls to record low"
➡️ apnews.com/article/brazil-drou…

"Brazil suffocates beneath smoke from record fires"
➡️ lemonde.fr/en/environment/arti…

"Smoke fills South American skies"
➡️ earthobservatory.nasa.gov/imag…

#Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency