RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION PRACTICES IN LIFE SCIENCES: THE ROLE OF METAPHORS OF LIFE
RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION PRACTICES IN LIFE SCIENCES: THE ROLE OF METAPHORS OF LIFE

Summary/Abstract: In the life sciences, the production of knowledge is inseparable from the practices through which it is communicated. Metaphors of life play a central role in both domains, functioning as epistemic tools within research practices and as mediating devices in scientific communication. This article focuses specifically on how metaphors of life operate within research and communication practices in the life sciences, shaping experimental reasoning, conceptual modeling, and modes of dissemination. Drawing on approaches from cognitive linguistics, discourse analysis, and science and technology studies, the paper examines recurrent metaphors such as genetic code, cellular machinery, and biological information. It argues that these metaphors contribute to stabilizing scientific concepts and coordinating research practices, while also guiding communicative strategies toward peers, funding bodies, and wider audiences. At the same time, they introduce epistemological constraints and normative assumptions that influence how life is understood, evaluated, and governed. By situating metaphors at the intersection of research activity and communication practice, the article highlights their central role in contemporary life sciences and underscores the need for reflexive and responsible metaphor use.

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