Metaphor: The new critical thinking and how it shapes how we learn

Metaphor: The New Critical Thinking?

Every so often, I receive an email that lingers in my thoughts for weeks. One such email, from someone named Eileen, has been sitting in my inbox for two months. The subject line alone stopped me in my tracks: “As if…metaphor is the new critical thinking?” That phrase has stayed with me—provocative, intriguing, and so deeply resonant.

I spent seven years at the University of Chicago studying how adults learn in everyday life. I devoured every book and research article I could find on the subject, hoping to uncover how adults truly learn. Despite the guidance of a renowned advisor, I graduated without a satisfying answer. Much of the literature on adult learning felt flat, as though something essential was missing.

It wasn’t until years later, when I picked up George Lakoff’s Metaphors We Live By, that the pieces started to fall into place.

How Metaphor Shapes Learning

As humans, we experience the world through our bodies and senses long before we acquire words and language. According to Lakoff, our understanding is grounded in these embodied experiences, which he calls “experiential gestalts.” We learn by being in the world—seeing, feeling, and interacting with it. These sensory experiences give rise to metaphors that shape how we think, learn, and interpret future experiences.

For example, when we say, “She’ll rise to the top,” we’re using a metaphor informed by our physical experience of being bodies that can rise. This metaphor shapes how we perceive and evaluate someone’s achievements.

Metaphor as Critical Thinking

Metaphor is not just a literary device—it’s the foundation of how we critically think. By framing our understanding through metaphoric lenses, we connect complex ideas, draw insights, and make meaning of our experiences. This perspective provides a richer, more dynamic view of critical thinking—one that feels intuitive, grounded, and refreshingly practical.

Eileen’s email reminded me of just how powerful metaphor is. It’s not just a way to express ourselves but a lens through which we shape and navigate our understanding of the world.

Yes, metaphor is the new critical thinking. And how refreshing it is to have a deeper, more meaningful way to think critically—one that truly resonates with how we experience and learn.