Eureka!
I found a way to exclude morons from my posts!
Just top post this onto every future thread.
> > > This post frightens away the nut jobs.
> > Not true.
> Then why did you dodge the issue?
>
> Here, we'll try again:
> > > InnoCentive found that =93the further the problem was from the
> > > solver=92s expertise, the
> > > : more likely they were to solve it,=94 often by applying
specialized
> > > knowledge or
> > > : instruments developed for another purpose.
> > Interdisciplinarity is the act of drawing from two or more academic
> > disciplines and integrating their insights to work together in pursuit
> > of a common goal. "Interdisciplinary Studies", as they are called, use
> > interdisciplinarity to develop a greater understanding of a problem
> > that is too complex or wide-ranging (i.e. AIDS pandemic, global
> > warming) to be dealt with using the knowledge and methodology of just
> > one discipline.
> > Interdisciplinary programs sometimes arise from a shared conviction
> > that the traditional disciplines are unable or unwilling to address an
> > im****tant problem. For example, social science disciplines such as
> > anthropology and sociology paid little attention to the social
> > analysis of technology throughout most of the twentieth century. As a
> > result, many social scientists with interests in technology have
> > joined science and technology studies programs, which are typically
> > staffed by scholars drawn from numerous disciplines (including
> > anthropology, history, philosophy, sociology, and women's studies).
> > They may also arise from new research developments, such as
> > nanotechnology, which cannot be addressed without combining the
> > approaches of two or more disciplines. Examples include quantum
> > information processing, which amalgamates elements of quantum physics
> > and computer science, and bioinformatics, which combines molecular
> > biology with computer science. In a sense, those who pursue
> > Interdisciplinary Studies degrees or practice interdisciplinarity in
> > their lives are seen as pioneers (and even risk-takers) at the cutting
> > edge of scholar****p, science, and technology. In this way,
> > interdisciplinarians are able to acknowledge and combat the present
> > and future problems of humanity.
> > At another level, interdisciplinarity is seen as a remedy to the
> > intellectually deadening effects of excessive specialization. On some
> > views, however, interdisciplinarity is entirely indebted to those who
> > specialize in one field of study--that without specialists,
> > interdisciplinarians would have no information and no leading experts
> > to consult. Others place the focus of interdisciplinarity on the need
> > to transcend disciplines, viewing excessive specialization as
> > problematic both epistemologically and politically. When
> > interdisciplinary collaboration or research results in new solutions
> > to problems, much information is given back to the various disciplines
> > involved. Therefore, both disciplinarians and interdisciplinarians
> > must work complementary to each other in order to solve problems.
> > However, French sociologist and interdisciplinary scholar, Mattei
> > Dogan has criticized the widely held view that interdisciplinarity,
> > despite its etymology, involves merging two traditional disciplines.
> > As demonstrated in his article =93The New Social Sciences: Cracks in
th=
e
> > Disciplinary Walls,=94 interdisciplinary research does not, in fact,
> > entail crossing whole disciplines, but in crossing specialties. In
> > Dogan=92s view, by attempting to cross disciplines so vast as
political
> > science and sociology, for example, the research can only become lost
> > in an ocean of literature. In this sense, any researcher seeking to
> > cross whole disciplines is doomed from the outset. For him, the true
> > meaning of interdisciplinarity lies in crossing specialties within
> > disciplines, or the hybridization of disciplinary fragments
> >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interdisciplinarity
> >
>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/science/22inno.html?em&ex=3D12169584=
0...
> > > Several reasons for all the upstaging by those outside their fields
> > > including:
> > > 1. The field jumper will often focus on issues eitirely overlooked
b=
y
> > > those who do not stray from their field.
> > > 2. The field jumper brings fresh insights from his own field.
> > > 3. The field jumper isn't going to have the same prejudices of
those
> > > stuck in their field.
> > > 4. The field jumper will naturally be a little brash. ("Waddya
mean
> > > we can't do it?")
> > > A prof told us about crosspollination/cross training years ago, I've
> > > heard it several times since and I've posted about it several times
> > > over the years.
> > > My favorite example was MRI, invented by a chemist who for some
reaso=
n
> > > had to work with physicists.
> > > DOE would do well to have a program which paid scientists and
> > > engineers to switch fields for 6 months - year.
> > > Most of the breakthroughs come in the first 6 months.
>
> This time, no dodgin'
This time, no dodgin'
Bret Cahill
|
