ABSTRACT
‘Difference’ is generally considered the opposite of ‘similarity’. However, this general concept does not reveal much about its nature or about its importance in the conceptual system. The chapter analyzes the semantic relations between ‘difference’ and its cognates, such as ‘diversity’, ‘variety’, ‘otherness’, ‘separateness’, ‘exception’, ‘opposite’, ‘alternative’, ‘replacement’ and more. It shows that these shades of ‘difference’ are crucial for concept formation, as well as for understanding reality. Specifying inner relations between ‘difference’ words leads to the discovery of the role of more abstract relations that constitute the concept of ‘differences’ and take part in the formation of other crucial concepts. Three general dimensions of cognition emerge: (1) the spatio-temporal dimension; (2) the logical dimension; and (3) a surprisingly deep pragmatic level of human preferences and values. Basic visual models, image schema, and metaphors constitute the various kinds of ‘difference’ and make up the cognitive map of ‘difference’ and its nuances. The findings shed new light on the relations between logic and language.
