The Importance of Metaphors in Programming, Philosophy, and Trading

Metaphors are excellent tools for thinking so long as we’re mindful of their limitations

When encountering difficult and complex problems, it may be just as hard to solve the problem as it is simply to define the context of the problem in a well-posed way in order to solve it. Metaphors are useful since they provide a direct mapping of a well-understood topic to a much less familiar domain for conceptualization and a path forward to solving it.

I will consider the utility of metaphors and case studies in programming, philosophy, and trading.

A Dive into Metaphors

What is a Metaphor?

Our thoughts are expressed by language, so understanding literary devices like metaphor in languages may help us to think better thoughts.

• Metaphor is a direct mapping of thing X to another thing Y.

Metaphor is often used interchangeably with simile and analogy because they are related, but there are clear distinctions.

• Simile is saying thing X “is like” thing Y, but it is not a direct mapping.
• Analogy is saying thing X “is like” thing Y, but explicitly for the…