Abstract

Science Advisors, Representation, and Hollywood Films — MI var callbackToken='4736BC541262496'; Skip to main page content HOME CURRENT ISSUE ARCHIVE FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ALERTS HELP Keywords GO Advanced » Institution: DeepDyve User Name Password Sign In Science Advisors, Representation, and Hollywood Films David A. Kirby E-mail dk246@cornell.edu ; fax 607-256-8101. It will come as no surprise to the readers of Molecular Interventions that representations play an important role in scientific practice. Visual modes of presentation for theories and data are often the most effective, and even the nonscientist who wanders into a biomedical symposium will appreciate the heavy reliance on “visual aids.” The extensive use of visual devices dates back to the Scientific Revolution of the sixteenth century. Representations have a powerful communicative value because they allow those who cannot be present to “witness” natural phenomena ( 1 ) . Steven Shapin and Simon Schaffer first put forth the notion of “indirect witnessing” in their seminal work Leviathan and the Air-Pump ( 2 ) . According to Shapin and Schaffer, Robert Boyle (1627–1691) mandated that the establishment of “matters of fact” should rest upon experiments that could be witnessed by all members of the scientific community. Of course, it was