Interdisciplinarity and Emerging Frontiers in Science; A Study on Origins, Capabilities and Requirements of Interdisciplinarization

Abstract

Interdisciplinarity is a sign of crisis in traditional approaches to the science, conventional models of planning and curriculum, and customary academic departments. The aim of this article is contextualizing of interdisciplinarization, its driving forces, capabilities, limitations, vulnerabilities and requirements; emphasizing the planning in higher education .The research method is qualitative meta-analysis. Eight factors have been studied as following: 1.functional and structural changes in science, 2.paradigmic evolutions, 3.changing information and communication technologies, 4.change of external expectations in science, 5.changes caused by demand pull, 6.globalization, 7.institutional changes and 8.technology factor. Capabilities and limitations of disciplinarily and Interdisciplinarity have been compared. Frontier science is a forerunner approach for developing the social world based on the knowledge, and this is not possible without interdisciplinarity paradigm and network view. In spite of that interdisciplinary fields have many efficiencies, we ought to be considerate in it due to its vulnerabilities. Seven strategic requirements for educational and research activities together with their executive mechanism have been found. Finally the interdisciplinarization need to a complex approach in the philosophy of science that synthesizes differences and similarities of the sciences.

Keywords

• planning
• changing modes in knowledge production
• interdisciplinarization
• frontier science