Reflection as a metaphor for thinking
Reflection is an ocular metaphor for thinking which has a long history in Western thought. This history is still drawn upon today in our explanations of human development and thinking, thereby illustrating some of the tensions inherent in the term when we apply it to a professional context.
One example, which enables us to consider the genealogy of this term ‘reflection’, is the Greek myth of Narcissus. Narcissus, seeing his own reflection in water, fell in love with himself. Looking at reflection within this example does raise the question of whether all kinds of reflection are thoughtful, that is, related to thinking.
Reflection may be simply self-admiration, which lacks the detachment we ordinarily associate with thinking.
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This resource was developed as part of an Erasmus+ project, funded with support from the European Commission under grant agreement 2016-1-SE01-KA203-22064.
The project was a collaboration between:
- The University of Borås, Sweden
- The University of the Highlands and Islands, Scotland
- The University of Alcalá, Spain
- Digital Connections, Scotland
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