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Metaphors and models in medicine.
1Centre for Philosophy and Health Care, University of Wales, Swansea, UK.
Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics
|November 5, 1999
Summary
Medical scientists use metaphor similarly to poets, influencing scientific models and classifications. Metaphors can create likenesses and enhance explanatory significance, not just rely on pre-existing similarities.
Area of Science:
- Medical Science
- Philosophy of Science
- Literary Theory
Background:
- Metaphor is often viewed as a tool in scientific reasoning.
- Some theories equate metaphor with scientific models based on likeness.
- The role of metaphor beyond mere likeness is debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the parallels between metaphor use in medical science and poetry.
- To explore how metaphors contribute to scientific explanation and classification.
- To challenge the associationist view of metaphor in science.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of historical scientific examples, specifically Louis Pasteur's work.
- Conceptual comparison of metaphor and model in scientific practice.
- Examination of metaphor's role in classification and reclassification.
Main Results:
- Metaphor can establish likenesses rather than solely relying on them.
- Metaphors are crucial for the explanatory power of scientific models.
- Metaphorical use in science parallels poetic functions in classification and explanation.
Conclusions:
- Metaphor is integral to scientific discovery and explanation in medicine.
- The function of metaphor in science extends beyond simple comparison.
- Medical scientists employ metaphor in ways analogous to poets, shaping understanding and discovery.