The Structural Differential

The Structural Differential is a visual tool created by philosopher and linguist Charles Ogden to illustrate how language shapes our understanding of reality. It shows how an actual event (the thing happening) is connected through various levels of abstraction: from the event itself, to our mental concept of it, and finally to the word or symbol we use to refer to it. This helps us see how language can influence perception and thought, emphasizing that our understanding of the world is filtered through symbols and ideas rather than direct experience.