`titrebRésumé`/titrebIn this paper, I argue that metaphor is a useful tool in advancing scientific understanding because of its aesthetic characteristics. My argument is grounded on the transition from ‘gene’ to ‘genetic program’ in scientific development. I propose that metaphor provides language with the possibility of integrating discursive and presentational symbol systems – the latter are used to represent experiences we qualify as aesthetic ones. These jointly permit felt experience to be shared, for metaphor allows both forms of symbolization to be integrated.