Geometric icons and conceptual analogies: A doublet of dynamic forms that reveal, express, and impel analogies

Abstract

Psychologists’ spatial representations and conceptual analogies form a semiotic doublet by which patterns of their seminal ideas can be compared across different eras. One powerful reappearing idea is Freud’s concept that two logics alternate as forms of thought. This elemental idea entails the individual’s access to analogical thinking, its forms, and its effect on the person’s selection of logical form. To go a recursive step back, I search out the psychologist’s origin of ideas to explain analogy and the two logics. Probing the doublet illuminates the psychologist’s thought forms, semiotic combinations, and choices of logical patterns. Using it to compare different theorists’ concepts of the two logics and analogy reveals the continuously recursive nature of analogy and shows the durability of major ideas. Comparisons go back and forth in time and contribute to understanding the roots of ideas and to project their place and value in future models.