Transcript Metaphor

Biology Metaphors
Presented by Engineering Group:
William Bernabe
Vincent Cecilio
Tayar Kyu
Chris Niznik
Gustavo Suarez
Molecular Biology Metaphors
http://scienceblogs.com/purepedantry/2006/09/molecular_biology_
metaphors.php
This website posts an article from the NY
Times.
 This article is about the lack of useful biological terms in
metaphors in comparison to more technically based fields.
 Metaphor referring to have patience: "Don't get your DNA
in a twist"?
 Metaphor to describing greedy senators: “That Senator
latched on to pork in the highway funding bill like GAL4
binds to a UAS sequence.”
 Metaphor coming from anatomy, referring to coming up
with a victory against insurmountable odds: “jaws of defeat”
(Also could be a mixed metaphor “agony of defeat” and “jaws
of life” mechanism.)
More Bio-metaphors
http://www.global-dialog.org/mvd/wMorebiomet.html
This site is a compilation of various
articles.
 This specific article is describing the way that a simple
organism functions by having multiple single celled
organisms working together.
 Metaphor referring to the similarities between society
and simple organisms: “the organization of cells in a
multi-celled
individual, or the organization of individuals into a social
unit”
Metaphors in biology.
http://www.ishpssb.org/ocs/viewpaper.php?id=279&print=1
Theory of evolution
 Several metaphors were used more around the conception
and spread of the theory of evolution.
 “adaptive landscape”- A metaphor used to describe the bring in the idea of
evolution.
- Relates to botany.
Medical Metaphors and the Middle East
http://www.mideasti.org/commentary/medical-metaphors-and-middle-east
This site posts an article from the Newark Star
Ledger.
 This article is about how propagandistic media and
government entities use medical metaphors in the MiddleEast.
 “Cancer” -Used to demonize opposition groups
 “Surgically Removing” - Used to sell the idea that opposition
groups can be removed with commandoes or special units
and that civilians will be spared.
 Despite the useful metaphors no such things can be
completed in reality. In wars many innocent civilians are
harmed and killed. Many times opposition groups are
defending the local population.
Medicine is war: and other medical metaphors Paul Hodgkin
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pagerender.fcgi?artid=1419170&pageindex=1
This site posts an article from British Medical
Journal.
This article is about we conceptualize illness and health.
 “Medicine is War”- Refers to the view that health
professionals have against illness. They are at a constant
battle with sickness.
 “The body is a machine”- Refers to the complexity of the
bio-mechanical, electro-chemical systems that constitute
our bodies.
 “Diseases are objects”- The conceptualization of illnesses
as things that exist. We say “He’s got the Mumps.” We
don’t say “he’s Mumping.”
Said What?
http://www.saidwhat.co.uk/spoon/metaphors.php
This site contains the explanation what the
metaphor is and the list of different metaphors.
“A metaphor is like a simile. That's because it is a comparison
that is made between things, which is not always likely or
obvious.”
Examples of metaphors:
 “He has the heart of a lion”
 “You are the sun in my sky”
 “She is my East and my West, my compass.”
 “Fire is day, when it goes out it's night”
 “Love is a lemon - either bitter of sweet”