The Function of Scientific Metaphors: An Example of the Creative Power of Metaphors in Biological Theories 1 XAVIER DE DONATO RODRÍGUEZ and ALFONSO ARROYO-SANTOS 1. Introduction: Creativity and Metaphors in Science and Art Both scientific and artistic creativity have been a topic of interest since long time ago. Neurological, psychological, clinical and sociological studies have been made in relation to creativity in science and art and many different theories have been pro- posed from different perspectives. Some authors have studied the topic from the neu- rological point of view exploring the neurological bases of creativity in different fields 2 . Other authors focus on the topic studying its genetic bases 3 . At least since the fifties many psychological studies have been published: psychometric studies as well as personality studies 4 . Others have proposed a theoretical approach to creativity based on contemporary critical theory and cultural theory 5 . Creativity is surely a sub- ject too wide to cover thoroughly within the pages of a single article and perhaps of a single book. If we try to study the relation of creativity to art and science, metaphor emerges as one of the more natural options to focus on. It is by no means strange that metaphor (and analogical thinking) has been a topic often related to the more general subject of creativity in science and art 6 . One of the philosophers of science who is more concerned with creativity and metaphor is Rom Harré 7 . According to him, metaphor and analogy are indispensable elements related to scientific creativity and imagination. His argument goes as follows: 1 This paper has received financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Research Project Ref.: FFI2009-08828/FISO). 2 K.M. Heilman, Creativity and the Brain, New York, Psychology Press, 2005. 3 M.A. Runco, Creativity. Theories and themes: Research, Development, and Practice, Amsterdam, Elsevier, 2007, chap. 3, pp. 102 and ff. 4 Cf. P.E. Vernon, (ed.), Creativity, New York, Penguin Books, 1970, pp. 153–338. 5 R. Pope, Creativity. Theory, History, Practice, London, Routledge, 2005. 6 See, for example, K. J. Holyoak, and P. Thagard, Mental Leaps. Analogy in Creative Thought, Cambridge, Mass., The MIT Press, 1995, R. Pope, o.c, and M.A. Runco, op. cit. 7 Cf. R. Harré, Modeling: Gateway to the Unknown, ed. by D. Rothbart, Amsterdam, Elsevier, 2004.