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The Third Lens - Metaphor and the Creation of Modern Cell Biology (Hardcover)
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The Third Lens - Metaphor and the Creation of Modern Cell Biology (Hardcover)
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Does science aim at providing an account of the world that is
literally true or objectively true? Understanding the difference
requires paying close attention to metaphor and its role in
science. In The Third Lens, Andrew S. Reynolds argues that
metaphors, like microscopes and other instruments, are a vital tool
in the construction of scientific knowledge and explanations of how
the world works. More than just rhetorical devices for conveying
difficult ideas, metaphors provide the conceptual means with which
scientists interpret and intervene in the world. Reynolds here
investigates the role of metaphors in the creation of scientific
concepts, theories, and explanations, using cell theory as his
primary case study. He explores the history of key metaphors that
have informed the field and the experimental, philosophical, and
social circumstances under which they have emerged, risen in
popularity, and in some cases faded from view. How we think of
cells--as chambers, organisms, or even machines--makes a difference
to scientific practice. Consequently, an accurate picture of how
scientific knowledge is made requires us to understand how the
metaphors scientists use--and the social values that often
surreptitiously accompany them--influence our understanding of the
world, and, ultimately, of ourselves. The influence of metaphor
isn't limited to how we think about cells or proteins: in some
cases they can even lead to real material change in the very nature
of the thing in question, as scientists use technology to alter the
reality to fit the metaphor. Drawing out the implications of
science's reliance upon metaphor, The Third Lens will be of
interest to anyone working in the areas of history and philosophy
of science, science studies, cell and molecular biology, science
education and communication, and metaphor in general.
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