George Lakoff (born 1941) is a renowned American cognitive linguist and philosopher known for developing the theory that conceptual metaphors and mental "frames" structure human thought, language, and social reality. A retired UC Berkeley professor, Lakoff is famous for works like _Metaphors We Live By_, which argue that metaphors are foundational to thought, and _Don't Think of an Elephant!_, which applies framing to politics.  **Key Contributions and Concepts** - **[Conceptual Metaphor Theory](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Conceptual+Metaphor+Theory&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&mstk=AUtExfAO_x0QLbp1NghKpQiiqn5VrJdyEaPcsjXwJ0k7CFbN-QUBf43pTDs2i_mk9p66jFKK9NShL9f-MWey_0GUIdtlfPBFYk7jWfGwSMQUAEBqSZotI4_Ew1spVj3W8Zm0BI9l8jEFHb5iSyq0OuL4-nQEk5-KPkpSyDq1tOCvew2UVzg&csui=3&ved=2ahUKEwj6z5DkmvSTAxXlXEEAHWS6MncQgK4QegQIAxAB):** Lakoff argues that abstract concepts are understood through concrete, embodied experiences (e.g., "time is money"). - **[Framing in Politics](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Framing+in+Politics&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&mstk=AUtExfAO_x0QLbp1NghKpQiiqn5VrJdyEaPcsjXwJ0k7CFbN-QUBf43pTDs2i_mk9p66jFKK9NShL9f-MWey_0GUIdtlfPBFYk7jWfGwSMQUAEBqSZotI4_Ew1spVj3W8Zm0BI9l8jEFHb5iSyq0OuL4-nQEk5-KPkpSyDq1tOCvew2UVzg&csui=3&ved=2ahUKEwj6z5DkmvSTAxXlXEEAHWS6MncQgK4QegQIAxAD):** He argues that political ideas are framed by metaphors that shape public opinion, analyzing how conservatives and liberals use different family metaphors ("strict father" vs. "nurturant parent") to view the world. - **[The Embodied Mind](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=The+Embodied+Mind&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&mstk=AUtExfAO_x0QLbp1NghKpQiiqn5VrJdyEaPcsjXwJ0k7CFbN-QUBf43pTDs2i_mk9p66jFKK9NShL9f-MWey_0GUIdtlfPBFYk7jWfGwSMQUAEBqSZotI4_Ew1spVj3W8Zm0BI9l8jEFHb5iSyq0OuL4-nQEk5-KPkpSyDq1tOCvew2UVzg&csui=3&ved=2ahUKEwj6z5DkmvSTAxXlXEEAHWS6MncQgK4QegQIAxAF):** He proposed that human reasoning is rooted in sensory-motor neural circuitry, challenging traditional views of disembodied, purely logical thought. - **[Cognitive Linguistics](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Cognitive+Linguistics&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&mstk=AUtExfAO_x0QLbp1NghKpQiiqn5VrJdyEaPcsjXwJ0k7CFbN-QUBf43pTDs2i_mk9p66jFKK9NShL9f-MWey_0GUIdtlfPBFYk7jWfGwSMQUAEBqSZotI4_Ew1spVj3W8Zm0BI9l8jEFHb5iSyq0OuL4-nQEk5-KPkpSyDq1tOCvew2UVzg&csui=3&ved=2ahUKEwj6z5DkmvSTAxXlXEEAHWS6MncQgK4QegQIAxAH):** Lakoff contributed significantly to construction grammar and the neural theory of language.  **Background and Influence** - **Academic Career:** He taught linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1972 until 2016. - **Think Tank Founder:** He founded the Rockridge Institute, a progressive think tank focused on framing public policy. - **Key Publications:** Besides the above, he authored _Moral Politics_, exploring how metaphors shape political morality.  Lakoff's work is interdisciplinary, influencing cognitive science, philosophy, psychology, and political communication by showing that language shapes how we perceive and act upon reality. ![[George Lakoff.jpg]] `Concepts:` `Knowledge Base:`