The Scientific Voice

Tracing the discourse and imagery of science over time, in specific forms, this book examines the profound influence language has had on scientific thought in history. Drawing on examples from a range of sciences, it shows that the choice of expression, coined terminology, visual forms, and more has led to not only to scientific insights but restricted understanding as well. This is illustrated through discussions of military metaphors in biomedical writings, a comparison between scientific expression in Japanese and English e, and a fascinating examination of the English translation of Freud’s work and how it compares to the original German edition.

As a review in the journal Nature noted: “Montgomery’s interest is not an academically driven exercise but springs from an infectious desire to know how science works…Montgomery [for example] offers a survey of the field of scientific illustrations and the ways in which they have been read, not only in terms of their iconography and pictorial effect, but also as embodiments of changing ideologies and shifting epistemologies …This book will be read with enjoyment by all those who suspect that the truths of the present are often the metaphors of the past.”