Metaphorical Brain

A groundbreaking scientific examination of the way our brains understand politics from a New York Times bestselling author.
One of the world 's best-known linguists and cognitive scientists, George Lakoff has a knack for making science make sense for general readers.

Living is a balancing act. Ordinary activities like walking, running, or riding a bike require the brain to keep the body in balance. A dancer's poised elegance and a tightrope walker's breathtaking performance are feats of balance. Language abounds with expressions and figures of speech that invoke balance. People fret over work-life balance or try to eat a balanced diet. The concept crops up from politics—checks and balances, the balance of power, balanced budgets—to science, in which ideas of equilibrium are crucial. Why is balance so fundamental, and how do physical and metaphorical balance shed light on each other?