"Words for mental processes are all derived from physical things"

This quote by Robert Smithson recommends that the language we utilize to explain psychological processes is rooted in physical things. This implies that our understanding of the world is based upon our physical experience of it. We utilize physical metaphors to explain abstract concepts, such as "seeing" a concept or "grasping" a concept. This is because our brains are wired to understand the world through physical experiences. We utilize physical objects to represent abstract concepts, such as using a lightbulb to represent an idea or a hammer to represent hard work. This quote suggests that our language is limited by our physical experience, which our understanding of the world is shaped by our physical experience of it. This quote likewise implies that our language is constantly evolving as our physical experience of the world changes. As we get new physical experiences, our language will continue to progress to reflect our understanding of the world.