Origins & Early Life

George Philip Lakoff ( LAY-kawf; born May 24, 1941) is an American cognitive linguist and philosopher, best known for his thesis that people's lives are significantly influenced by the conceptual metaphors they use to explain complex phenomena. Lakoff served as professor of linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1972 until his retirement in 2016. The conceptual metaphor thesis, introduced in his and Mark Johnson's 1980 book Metaphors We Live By has found applications in a number of academic disciplines. Applying it to politics, literature, philosophy and mathematics has led Lakoff into territory normally considered basic to political science.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In his 1996 book Moral Politics, Lakoff described conservative voters as being influenced by the "strict father model" as a central metaphor for such a complex phenomenon as the state, and liberal/progressive voters as being influenced by the "nurturant parent model" as the folk psychological metaphor for this complex phenomenon. According to Lakoff, an individual's experience and attitude towards sociopolitical issues are influenced by being framed in linguistic constructions. In Metaphor and War: The Metaphor System Used...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adnan Khayr Allah — Contemporary (Born in 1941) (1941): Iraqi military officer and former Minister of Defense, closely connected to the ruling family.
• Alan Mullery — Contemporary (Born in 1941) (1941): Iconic English footballer and manager known for his time at Fulham and Spurs.
• Alfonso XIII — Contemporary (Died in 1941) (1941): King of Spain (1886-1931), whose reign spanned constitutional crises and republican upheaval.
• Bob Dylan — Shared historical date (05-24 · Born) (1941): Pioneering American singer-songwriter, master of lyrical poetry and folk revival.
• Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit — Shared historical date (05-24 · Born) (1686): Pioneering physicist known for developing the Fahrenheit temperature scale and accurate thermometers.
• Ali Hassan al-Majid — Historical peer (Born in 1941) (1941): Notorious Iraqi military figure, cousin of Saddam Hussein, known for brutal repression.
• Amy Johnson — Historical peer (Died in 1941) (1941): Pioneering English aviator, first woman to fly solo from London to Australia.
• Abraham Joshua Heschel — Historical peer (Died in 1972) (1972): Leading 20th-century American rabbi, theologian, and philosopher.
• Alessandro Nivola — Historical peer (Born in 1972) (1972): Versatile American actor known for film and stage work, building a notable career.
• Abbas Kiarostami — Historical peer (Died in 2016) (2016): Master Iranian filmmaker known for blending fiction and documentary styles.
• 1941 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1941
• May 24 (05-24) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 24