Toward Sociocultural Sensitivity in Rhetorical Studies of Analogy: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations

Joseph Little University of California, Santa Barbara

Abstract

In their macroscopic approach to analogy, rhetorical studies project the latent assumption that sound analogical reasoning is a universal property of human consciousness rather than a socioculturally inherited practice that varies over time and place. After drawing briefly from landmark work in the social sciences to show notable cases of cultural variation in analogical reasoning, I present Lev Vygotsky's concept of internalization and Dedre Gentner's structure mapping theory of analogy as fruitful theoretical and methodological avenues through which to detect sociocultural variation in analogical reasoning practices in science.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2001-07-01
DOI
10.2190/4pdh-8y8k-krrp-7ae4
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Cited by in this index (3)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication

References (22) · 4 in this index

  1. On Rhetoric
  2. Prior Analytics
  3. Posterior Analytics
  4. Eudemian Ethics
  5. Nichomachean Ethics
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