Thank you, Prudence. I like your writing for the same reason. This was a hard piece to write, trying to bring order to a lot of all-over-the-place thoughts. I hope it helps answer the "practicality" questions you've asked.

I read Philosophy in the Flesh many years ago -- very illuminating, haven't forgotten its key points. More recently I read Steven Pinker's The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature. It covers similar ground, referencing a lot of research, and liked that too.