Our understanding of the nature and processing of figurative language is central to several important issues in cognitive science, including the relationship of language and thought, how we process language, and how we comprehend abstract meaning. In this new volume in the Counterpoints series, internationally recognized experts in the field of figurative language provide a coherent and focused debate on the subject. The book's authors discuss a variety of questions, including: Is metaphor primarily a function of thought, or is it merely a matter of language? Why do we prefer to speak metaphorically in everyday conversation, rather than literally? Is metaphor the only vehicle through which we can understand abstract concepts? What role do cultural and social factors play in our comprehension of figurative language? Figurative Language and Thought will be thought provoking reading for a wide range of cognitive psychologists, linguists, and philosophers.