[throwaway27448]

No metaphor is perfect.

[Retric]

Many are terrible.

[throwaway27448]

I think it takes a very narrow understanding of physics discourse to call the particle a terrible metaphor. What's next, entirely discarding the teaching of newtonian physics in high school?

[Retric]

“Newton mechanics” has the benefit of a disclaimer suggesting that it is not a representation of reality.

“Particle” isn’t great but it beats “point particle”