Structural Features of Metaphors in English Aphorisms within Philosophical Discourse

Abstract

Structural analysis of aphorisms in philosophical discourse is conducted using a semantic-cognitive approach. The study focuses on aphorisms from Francis Bacon’s treatise “Novum Organum”. The objects, purposes, and bases of metaphorization are identified and classified, revealing phenomena that are objectified through metaphors and denote key areas of conceptualization in Bacon’s linguistic worldview. It is determined that the objects, sources, and bases of metaphorization are highly differentiated, highlighting personifications of the human image in Bacon’s linguistic worldview: the thinking, spiritual, social, and emotional aspects of humans. The majority of objects are anthropomorphic phenomena, including categories of moral order, age characteristics, intellectual abilities, and attributes of social interaction. The sources of metaphors touch upon the social role of humans, their physio-logical sensations from interacting with the environment, and demonstrate the empirical nature of the author’s linguistic personality. Among the sources of metaphors, the most representative group consists of naturalistic images. Francis Bacon refers to natural phenomena and objects as tools for creating complex philosophical concepts.