TechWorkRamblings

by Mike Kalvas

202110251122 Analogy is a highly effective communication method

Analogies are highly effective at communicating meaning because they relate the meaning of our message in terms that the recipient can understand. Analogies are even more effective if we can communicate to a recipient in a domain that they deeply understand.

On the other hand, analogies may suffer from loss of nuance. In reality though, analogy is best used as a linking, synthesizing, or jumping off point, rather than the end word on the technical details of an idea.

As a tool of thought, analogies are highly effective methods of "communicating between idea domains". By operating at a slightly "lossy" level of communication and idea chunking, we can more easily find connections even if they're not perfect. Sometimes analogies like these can lead to remarkable breakthroughs and Eureka! moments.12

For instance, 202211031026 The unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics shows that even when mathematics fail to exactly model reality in all its messiness, it still is an excellent analogy for reality.

Because 202304031221 Breadth of knowledge fuels analogy, it's important to develop a broad, general knowledge of many different domains to become highly effective thinkers and communicators.


  1. Epstein, D. (2019). Range: How generalists triumph in a specialized world (1st ed.). Macmillan. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41795733-range

  2. Hamming, R. W. (2020). The art of doing science and engineering: Learning to learn. Stripe Press. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53349431-the-art-of-doing-science-and-engineering