FRIAS Lunch Lectures 2023/24: Cells, Turns, and Footprints – Metaphors in Science

FRIAS Lunch Lectures 2023/24

Cells, Turns, and Footprints – Metaphors in Science

The FRIAS Lunch Lecture Series 2023/24 intends to unravel the influence of metaphors on scientific thinking, knowledge construction, and communication. Metaphors, usually associated with literature and poetry, play a decisive role in shaping our understanding of scientific concepts. We want to explore how metaphors enable researchers to conceptualize and explore complex phenomena, providing new insights, analogies, and perspectives in their research. We want to examine how metaphors function as cognitive tools, bridging the gaps between microscopic and macroscopic worlds, between disciplines and between science and the public.

By dissecting, observing and following scientific metaphors, we intend to uncover the underlying assumptions, implications, and potential limitations they bring to scientific inquiry. Furthermore, we want to delve into the collaborative nature of metaphors, investigating how they foster interdisciplinary exchanges and catalyse scientific advancements. By examining how metaphors are shared and understood across various domains, we attempt to explore how they contribute to scientific consensus- and community-building, creative problem-solving and the development of novel research methodologies.

Lastly, we want to critically reflect on the ethical and societal dimensions of metaphors in science. How do metaphors influence public perception, policy decisions, and the circulation and perception of scientific knowledge? We want to address these questions, discussing both the benefits and potential pitfalls of metaphorical language in scientific discourse.

With this wide scope and a mosaic of interdisciplinary perspectives, we want to explore the intricate relationship between metaphor, conceptualisation and communication in research.

About the FRIAS Lunch Lectures

The Lunch Lectures are a series of events at FRIAS dedicated to reflection on knowledge, science, and technology in the broadest sense, with a different overarching theme from semester to semester. The language of the lectures is usually English. Following the 30-minute lectures, the audience is invited to participate in an audience discussion.