Why Machine-Information Metaphors are Bad for Science and Science Education
@article{Pigliucci2011WhyMM, title={Why Machine-Information Metaphors are Bad for Science and Science Education}, author={M. Pigliucci and M. Boudry}, journal={Science & Education}, year={2011}, volume={20}, pages={453-471} }
Genes are often described by biologists using metaphors derived from computational science: they are thought of as carriers of information, as being the equivalent of “blueprints” for the construction of organisms. Likewise, cells are often characterized as “factories” and organisms themselves become analogous to machines. Accordingly, when the human genome project was initially announced, the promise was that we would soon know how a human being is made, just as we know how to make airplanes… Expand
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