Rhetoric Review Jan 2006

The Rhetoric of Cells: Understanding Molecular Biology in the Twenty-First Century

Michelle Sidler

Abstract

Recent discussions of metaphor illuminate its function as a paradigm-building trope with significant rhetorical and epistemological power. Historical and current discourse within biological science provide a complex and poignant example of metaphor's influence: Throughout much of the twentieth century, the field operated under a deterministic assumption that DNA is the "genetic code." Though this reductionist association still shapes biological research, postgenomic discoveries are now reconceiving the connection between DNA and cells in more complex ways. The ensuing scientific debate demonstrates that rhetoric and language have primary roles in the discourse of contemporary biology, creating a rhetoric of cells.

Journal
Rhetoric Review
Published
2006-01-01
DOI
10.1207/s15327981rr2501_4
Open Access
Closed
Topics
multilingual writers

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (4)

  1. Zerbe et al. (2025)
    The Rhetoric of Science in (Times of) Crisis
    Rhetoric Society Quarterly
  2. Dorpenyo (2015)
    Mapping a Space for a Rhetorical-Cultural Analysis
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Walker et al. (2014)
    A Choreography of Living Texts: Selections from the ARST Oral History Project
    Rhetoric Review
  4. Journet (2010)
    The Resources of Ambiguity
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication

Cites in this index (2)

  1. Ceccarelli (2004)
    Neither Confusing Cacophony Nor Culinary Complements
    Written Communication
  2. Halloran (1984)
    The birth of molecular biology: An essay in the rhetorical criticism of scienti…
    Rhetoric Review
Also cites 16 works outside this index ↓
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CrossRef global citation count: 5 View in citation network →

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