Modes of analogy

Abstract

There are two main conclusions that emerge from this paper, besides clearing up some of the confusion that invariably results from not distinguishing different modes of “analogy” and talking about it as if it were just one process. First of all, I have emphasized the underlying process of interpretation that plays a key role in analogy by rendition and certain proportional analogy relations. In understanding and modeling this process lies one half of the problem of cognition. (The other half has to do with the process of accommodation, or what is more familiarly known as “learning.”). The second conclusion concerns predictive analogy. The problem of justification of predictive analogy is merely a red herring, since no justification can ever be found. On the other hand, the real problem lies in understanding how our vaguely held background knowledge can sprout the necessary premises for analogical inferences.