Optimizing friction between alternative genomic metaphors: How much plurality is enough?

Abstract

Introduction In On Metaphor, Wayne Booth argues that, "Criticism of metaphoric worlds, or visions, [represents] one clear and important-perhaps the clearest and most important-instance of a general human project of improving life by criticizing it." 2 Given the radical extent to which genomics may affect the "general human project", our aim to consider its metaphors would thus be one of the higher aims to which we can aspire. While some still underestimate the performativity of language-and metaphor, specifically-too many scholars from too many fields have drawn attention to its importance for us to ignore. 3 The metaphors we use to conceptualize genomics today will partly come to define humanity in the future.