Thato Tjofane

4. The role of analogy is to aid understanding rather than to provide justification.

To what extend do you agree with this statement?
To what extent does effect created by use of language in different areas of
knowledge become distinct?
The term analogy relates to no less than a situation of bringing out a comparison
between two elements, usually aiming to explain one idea by comparing it to
another which is familiar. On many occasions it serves to lead the motive of
providing justifications and precise explanations to either abstract or concrete
concepts, or even experimental principles studied. The most important element
to point out in the locus of the word understanding is that, it is mainly a
correlation between an individual’s ability to conceptualize factual ideas and have
their intellect channeled into the direction of forwarded facts, and their sensibility
towards identifying areas of applications in every day scenarios. Justification,
on the other hand is a reason or a supportive explanation provided on behalf of a
situation

Analogy substantially triggers understanding, but may be just a call for

justification.
Of the many chemistry - related analogies that had emerged over the years, one
commonly known to have provoked numerous scientifically ethical concerns is
the atom and the solar system analogy. This is an analogy that straightens up
on similarities between both systems to explain one in terms of the other.
Scientific topics such as atom system are often times spared the early-age
education curriculum for the prevalence of increased chances of the learners
experiencing a difficulty to grasp the complex concepts attached to it. Ensuing a
realization that much more familiar scientific phenomena had to be made part of
the introductory approach for atom system to allow learners a chance of aligning
closely to the topic, this analogy was devised. “The structure of an atom is like
a solar system. The nucleus is the sun and the electrons are the planets
revolving around their sun.’’ we do realize that the key objective of this
comparative statement is to assist a learner visualize the structural functionality
of the atom system through alluding to the solar system. It gives an idea that the
electrons in an atom rotate around the nucleus the same way the planets are
known to revolve around the sun in the solar system. However, we do realize,
taking it further from this end, that this may turn out to be a huge limitation to
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acquiring knowledge on atom system as it demands the presence of pre-requisite

knowledge about the solar system.
But then again it won’t take us by surprise to hear a learner who has newly been
introduced to the idea of atom system and perhaps drawn into this particular
analogy reach out questions such as, “Which is the closest electron to the
nucleus and what name is given to it?” Clearly the mindset aligned to the respect
of this question would have been influenced not only by the classical knowledge
of the mechanisms and basic theory related to the solar system, but also by a
mere fact that an attempt was made to compare the two systems in the first
place, which lead to the interpretation he formulated regarding the indicated
relationship.

On the other hand, the power of influence held by analogy over understanding is
limited by an individual’s degree of familiarity to a subject being discussed.
I know this from personal experience. I remember one time back in secondary
school, my chemistry teacher had introduced a subtopic called polymerization,
based under organic chemistry. Shortly after stating that this process was strictly
reserved for unsaturated compounds and mentioning a few other facts about it,
he brought in the jigsaw puzzle game, matching it up with the process. As he
continued in his explanations, he illustrated that the interlocking jigsaw pieces
could be viewed as monomers and it is only possibly for a complete picture to be
revealed out when the pieces are rightfully connected to one other, same way it
happens with monomers in the addition process to form polymers.
I assume my teacher must have guessed we were all familiar with the jigsaw
puzzle game and perceived it might actually help him break through our minds.
Perhaps it was after all an interesting approach and a quick catch-up strategy for
some students but it made matters worse for me because I had no idea what a
jigsaw game looked like and failed entirely therefore to conceptualize the
polymerization principle at first hand.
For this case, having a clue about the jigsaw puzzle would be beginning point to
understanding, I believe.
To wrap up, analogy aids understanding more than provide justification in
Natural Sciences. However, the extent to which it does is highly dependent upon
the strength of an individual’s ability to relate to the most thought-to-be common
of the two subjects being compared.
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The form of analogy centred around lifestyles, cultural, ethnical and social
instincts or even global issues works best to enhance understanding.
Telling stories relating to life events and vicissitudes is spoken of as having
grown to be a favorite way for ancient rabbis to hold an audience’s attention. This
brings us to an idea of incorporating parables in religious sermons, which are of
course a means of establishing platform to explore ethical concepts in spiritual
texts. Both Islamic religion and Christianity involve elements of figurative, story
form illusions for several reasons. In Islam, parables are a way through which
Allah is able to provide a much bolder insight and deeper meaning such that
things in the realm of nature of are brought close to the understating of human-
kind. This is the same for Christianity.
The parable of the prodigal son is a didactic parable most widely known of those
told by Jesus. It is one of the parables in which Jesus appealed to his disciples
through alluding to a social issue and a societal norm. Jesus’ teaching about a
son Jacob who left his home and went far away to squander his share of
inheritance, spent it recklessly there and came back without a penny to his father
who welcomed him back reveals the major moral embodied in the parable to be
forgiveness, where the kingdom of God is analog to events in the story.
As was the case with many other parables, Jesus, in beginning this parable
made a statement, “The kingdom of God is like….’’ Personally, this is sufficient
to conclude that Jesus’ primary aim was to subject the listeners’ attention on the
nature of God and his kingdom. The era of the messianic ministry witnessed
cultural x, whereby all the property belonging to a man would subsequently be
entitled to his son(s) when he dies. Because Jesus was able to draw out an
analogy from a social issue which was common to the people, they would finally
understand that even if someone badly disappoints them, they must forgive
unconditionally- a principle they had to abide by to be in God’s kingdom. As a
result, this phenomenon developed their understanding over what exactly God’s
kingdom was as Jesus spoke of it.
On the contrary, personal interpretations have potential to twist the effect of
analogy into seeking answers to “why” questions.
Again in relation to the above-mentioned parable, one would ask Jesus why he is
making efforts to invite everyone to God’s kingdom if after all it encourages lack
of respect for personal property and ungratefulness, all seen from the son as
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insinuated by Jesus in the parable. This person would have absorbed the literal
implication of the parable and this would force out of him endless questions that
would require answers, hence justifications.
Based all this, because the initial aim of analogy is to let out knowledge on one
subject through assistance of another, which is thought to more common, milder
and easier to grasp, the role of analogy is to aid even I religions mostly leans on
aiding understanding. To a large extent, bringing an element of justification would
mean we are also concerned about the most common, milder subject but that is
not the aim of analogy.

Conclusively, to a large extent, the role of analogy is to aid understanding rather

than to provide justification. Generally, analogies are incorporated in most cases
with the mentality that the audience is familiar to one of the compared subjects,
being the most familiar between the two. Hence it can also be argued that it
becomes a limitation to a point where it is an absolute difficulty for an individual
to relate to the common subject. This means he /she will totally lose track of
whatever message is being disseminated. For this reason, no understanding will
be promoted and even the statement part of the title would not hold.
However, it is important to point out that even so, justification is not totally
detached from analogy. Yes, the primary intension of the informer may not be to
give any justifications through analogy they establish but in some situations,
some circumstances, the listeners’ fuming concern or even curiosity towards the
information the informer provides may be a call for provision of approval
response

Word Count: 1579

BIBLIOGRAPHY
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1. School for champions (2018) Are Atoms Tiny Solar Systems? Available from:
https://www.school-for-champions.com [accessed 18 November 2019]
2. All About Jesus Christ. Parable of the prodigal son. available from :
https://www.allaoutjesuschrist.org [accessed 18 November 2019]
3. Unraveling Islam (June 22 2014) The Use of Parables. Available from
https://www.unravelingislam.com [accessed 18 November 2019]
4.