A Theory of Analogy

We discuss the form of analogies and suggest that analogies of the form A:B::C:D are arguments which assert that the relation of A to B is the same as that of C to D. We analyze and formally describe the relations of comparability and opposition in minimal domains. We define and discuss the nature of symmetric and asymmetric features as semantic markers and show the importance of these ideas for the analysis of analogies. Then we indicate some directions for further work and indicate the importance of studying analogies for the study of cognitive systems.