James Grant, Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Oxford, discusses different theories about what gives metaphors the special meaning or content they have.

Metaphor: Philosophical Issues

2. How Metaphors Mean

Lecture series introducing some of the main debates about metaphor in contemporary aesthetics and philosophy of language. No background in either philosophy of language or aesthetics is required. Questions considered include: Are there some thoughts that can only be expressed in metaphor? Why do we speak metaphorically, especially in describing how things look, sound, taste and smell? How do metaphors get the special meaning or content they have? And do metaphors have a non-literal meaning or content at all?

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Metaphor: Philosophical Issues