An analogy is a comparison between two different things, in order to highlight some form of similarity. A comparison is an evaluation of similarities and differences - described by Gregory Bateson in his book Mind and Nature as the two quanta of experience. ... Several equivalence relations in mathematics are called similarity. ...

Analogies are often used to explain new or complex concepts by showing the similarities between them and familiar concepts. A concept is an abstract, universal idea, notion or entity that serves to designate a category or class of entities, events or relations. ... A concept is an abstract, universal idea, notion or entity that serves to designate a category or class of entities, events or relations. ...

Analogy types

Linguistics

• In linguistics, an analogy can be a spoken or textual comparison between two words (or sets of words) to highlight some form of semantical similarity between them. Linguistical analogies can be used to strengthen political and philosophical arguments, even when the semantical similarity is weak or non-existent (if crafted carefully for the audience).
• An analogy can also be the linguistical process that reduces word forms perceived as irregular by remaking them in the shape of more common forms that are governed by rules. For example, the English verb help once had the preterite holp and the past participle holpen. These obsolete forms have been discarded and replaced by helped by the power of analogy. However, irregular forms can sometimes be created by analogy; one example is the American English past tense form of "dive": "dove", formed on analogy with words such as drive-drove.
• Neologisms can be formed by analogy with existing words. A common example is software, formed by analogy with hardware. Another example is the humorous term underwhelm, formed by analogy with overwhelm.

Broadly conceived, linguistics is the scientific study of human language, and a linguist is someone who engages in this study. ... One might be looking for the academic discipline of communications. ... In language, text is a broad term for something that contains words to express something. ... In general, semantics (from the Greek semantikos, or significant meaning, derived from sema, sign) is the study of meaning, in some sense of that term. ... The Elections and Parties Series Democracy Liberal democracy History of democracy Referenda Representative democracy Representation Voting Voting systems Elections Elections by country Elections by calender Electoral systems Politics Politics by country Political campaigns Political science Political philosophy Related topics Political parties Parties by country Parties by name Parties by ideology... The term philosophy derives from a combination of the Greek words philos meaning love and sophia meaning wisdom. ... Argument may refer to: (in logic) a logical argument, that is, an attempt to prove a demonstration of the half-truth of a conclusion based on the truth of a set of premises (in mathematics) at least three different things: a parameter or independent variable that is the input to... Broadly conceived, linguistics is the scientific study of human language, and a linguist is someone who engages in this study. ... Reduction or reducing has several meanings: In mathematics, reduction is the process of manipulating a series of equations or matrices into a desired simpler format. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A verb is a part of speech that usually denotes action (bring, read), occurrence (to decompose (itself), to glitter), or a state of being (exist, live, soak, stand). Depending on the language, a verb may vary in form according to many factors, possibly including its tense, aspect, mood and voice. ... This article is about the grammatical term. ... Obsolescence is when a person or object is no longer wanted even though it is still in good working order. ... American English is the form of the English language used mostly in the United States of America. ... In linguistics, a neologism is a recently coined word, or the act of inventing a word or phrase. ... Computer software (or simply software) refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of a computer for some purpose. ... Hardware is equipment such as fasteners, keys, locks, hinges, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts, especially when they are made of metal. ...

Mathematics

Some types of analogies can have a precise mathematical formulation through the concept of isomorphism. Mathematics is commonly defined as the study of patterns of structure, change, and space; more informally, one might say it is the study of figures and numbers. Mathematical knowledge is constantly growing, through research and application, but mathematics itself is not usually considered a natural science. ... In mathematics, an isomorphism (in Greek isos = equal and morphe = shape) is a kind of interesting mapping between objects. ...

Anatomy

See also: Analogy (biology)

In anatomy, two anatomical structures are considered to be analogous when they serve similar functions but are not evolutionarily related, such as the legs of vertebrates and the legs of insects. Analogous structures are the result of convergent evolution and should be contrasted with homologous structures. Two structures in biology are said to be analogous if they perform a similar function by a similar mechanism, but did not arise from a common ancestor performing that function: for example, the wings of insects and the wings of birds. ... Anatomical drawing of the human muscles from the Encyclopédie. ... A function is part of an answer to a question about why some object or process occurred in a system that evolved or was designed with some goal. ... Charles Darwin, father of the theory of evolution by natural selection. ... In an extended sense, a leg is any part of an object that supports it off the ground. ... Typical classes Petromyzontidae (lampreys) Placodermi - extinct Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) Acanthodii - extinct Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish) Actinistia (coelacanths) Dipnoi (lungfish) Amphibia (amphibians) Reptilia (reptiles) Aves (birds) Mammalia (mammals) Vertebrata is a subphylum of chordates, specifically, those with backbones or spinal columns. ... A database query syntax error has occurred. ... In evolutionary biology, convergent evolution describes the process whereby organisms not closely related independently acquire similar characteristics while evolving in separate and sometimes varying ecosystems. ... Two or more structures are said to be homologous if they are alike because of shared ancestry. ...

Law

In law, analogy is used to resolve issues on which there is no previous authority. A distinction has to be made between analogous reasoning from written law and analogy to precedent case law. Corruption Jurisprudence Philosophy of law Law (principle) List of legal abbreviations Legal code Intent Letter versus Spirit Natural Justice Natural law Religious law Witness intimidation Legal research External links Wikibooks Wikiversity has more about this subject: School of Law Look up law in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Law, Legal Definitions... Precedent is the principle in law of using the past in order to assist in current interpretation and decision-making. ... Case law - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

Analogies from codes and statutes

In civil law systems, where the preeminent source of law are legal codes and statutes, a lacuna (a gap) arises when a specific issue is not explicitly dealt with in written law. Judges will try to identify a provision whose purpose applies to the case at hand. That process can reach a high degree of sophistication, as judges sometimes not only look at specific provision to fill lacunae (gaps), but at at several provisions (from which an underlying purpose can be inferred) or at general principles of the law to identify the legislator's value judgement from which the analogy is drawn. Besides the not very frequent filling of lacunae, analogy is very commonly used between different provisions in order to achieve substantial coherence. Analogy from previous judicial decisions is also common, although these decisions are not binding authorities. Civil law is a legal system derived from Roman law and commonly used in Europe. ... A legal code is a moral code enforced by the law of a state. ... A statute is a formal, written law of a country or state, written and enacted by its legislative authority, perhaps to then be ratified by the highest executive in the government, and finally published. ... A lacuna is a gap in a manuscript, inscription or text. ...

Analogies from precedent case law

By contrast, in common law systems, where precedent cases are the primary source of law, analogies to codes and statutes are rare (since those are not seen as a coherent system, but as incursions into the common law). Analogies are thus usually drawn from precedent cases: The judge finds that the facts of another case are similar to the one at hand to an extent that the analogous application of the rule established in the previous case is justified. This article concerns the common-law legal system, as contrasted with the civil law legal system; for other meanings of the term, within the field of law, see common law (disambiguation). ...

Linguistic example

The United States-based SAT test formerly included "analogy" questions in the form "A is to B as C is to what?" For example: The SATs (pronounced S-A-T not sat) are standardized tests, formerly called the Scholastic Aptitude Tests and Scholastic Assessment Tests, frequently used by colleges and universities in the United States to aid in the selection of incoming freshmen. ...

Hand is to palm as foot is to ____?

These questions are usually given in the format:

HAND : PALM : : FOOT : ____

External links

• Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Analogy in Early Greek Thought
• Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Analogy in Patristic and Medieval Thought
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Medieval Theories of Analogy

References

Holyoak, K.J. et. al. (1996). Mental Leaps: Analogy in Creative Thought. Cambridge, Massachusetts, The MIT Press.