Synthesized answer
The author's premise is that analogy-making is a high-level perceptual process where the interplay of perception and concepts leads to "conceptual slippages" that enable analogies [1]. This is supported by the observation of William James that a "native talent for perceiving analogies is ... the leading fact in genius of every order" [1]. The author also notes that the importance and widespread nature of analogy in creative thought have been recognized by numerous scientists, artists, and writers [1].
The author provides evidence by describing Copycat, a computer model of analogy making developed with Douglas Hofstadter [1]. Copycat models the intricate, subconscious interaction between perception and concepts that is the basis for creating analogies [1]. In this model, both concepts and high-level perception emerge from a multitude of low-level, parallel, and non-deterministic activities [1]. The passages do not elaborate on other specific forms of evidence beyond this conceptual framework and the description of the Copycat model.
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
Title: Analogy-making as perception by Melanie Mitchell Description: The psychologist William James observed that "a native talent for perceiving analogies is ... the leading fact in genius of every order." The centrality and the ubiquity of analogy in creative thought have been noted again and again by scientists, artists, and writers, and understanding and modeling analogical thought have emerged as two of the most important challenges for cognitive science. Analogy-Making as Perception is based on the premise that analogy-making is fundamentally a high-level perceptual process in which…
inistic activities. In the spectrum of cognitive modeling approaches, Copycat occupies a unique intermediate position between symbolic systems and connectionist systems a position that is at present the most useful one for understanding the fluidity of concepts and high-level perception. -- Publisher description.