ur “being” and rationality is more than just cognition or the firing of neurons. We seem to physically interpret our actions and interactions into thoughts and feelings. Our metaphors are more than speech … they are part of who we are. Observe (from the SciAm article linked above):

• Thinking about the future caused participants to lean slightly forward whilethinking about the past caused participants to lean slightly backwards. Future is Ahead

• Squeezing a soft ball influenced subjects to perceive gender neutral faces as female while squeezing a hard ball influenced subjects to perceive gender neutral faces as male. Female is Soft

• Those who held heavier clipboards judged currencies to be more valuable and their opinions and leaders to be more important. Important is Heavy.

• Subjects asked to think about a moral transgression like adultery or cheating on a test were more likely to request an antiseptic cloth after the experiment than those who had thought about good deeds. Morality is Purity

(Source: jtotheizzoe)