What If Cooking Isn't Chemistry? Examining the Good and the Harm in Metaphorical Connections Between Science and Everyday Activities

This theoretical paper examines why we make claims like “cooking is chemistry,” what these claims mean, and what good or harm they accomplish. We make three interrelated arguments: First, the relationship between scientific and everyday practices is more complicated and less obvious than is often claimed; second, educators and scientists link scientific and everyday practices for reasons that have little do with the accuracy of those links; and third, pushing everyday practices under the umbrella of science can actually do harm–not least because it ignores the independent history and value of those practices. We conclude by discussing how more useful connections—and distinctions—between scientific and everyday practice could enrich both science education and public discourse.