This article explores the creative use of metaphor in science and society by focusing in particular on the use of religious metaphors in debates about climate science and climate politics during the 2009 ’climategate affair’.The article begins with providing an overview of various aspects of the creative use of metaphor in general,including a short excursion into the history of metaphor analysis,namely an exploration of the psychology of metaphor proposed by Gertrude Buck at the end of the 19 th century.The article then switches to the early 21 st century with a focus on climategate,when the hacking of private emails and data by climate scientists invigorated the debate about climate science and its influence on climate policy,including discussions of the meaning of theory,evidence,consensus and belief.The initial climategate affair of 2009 was followed by a variety of other ’gates’ which are also briefly studied.The conclusion of the article explores the implications of the use of religious metaphors in debates about climate change for public understanding of science and climate change and for the social standing of science itself.
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