Specialized Research Communities in Human Sciences

Integrating the Human Sciences Chapter 4 Information Classification: General

Introduction We should want specialized research communities to specialize by subject matter: on subsystems or sets of causal links. Some subsystems are less open than others. We will identify key questions that each group of specialized researchers should devote more attention to. We will show how each group of specialized researchers could employ additional methods (and theories). We will note that the present structure of disciplines in human science does not reflect a logical division of the subject matter. Information Classification: General

Economy Economy is more closed than most subsystems, but there are still important links to other phenomena. Economists should devote more attention to economic growth; this will require both interdisciplinarity and methodological flexibility. Economists should also pay more heed to the links between economy and social structure. Information Classification: General

The Economic Subsystem Income distribution Output of Goods and Services Prices of Goods and Services Economic ideology Unemployment Inflation Economic institutions Information Classification: General

Politics Politics is a very open system. Political scientists should devote more attention to studying the causes and characteristics of stable democracy This will require both interdisciplinarity and methodological flexibility. Information Classification: General

Social Structure Social structure is also a very open system. Social structure is studied in many fields that are not well integrated. One obvious question is how discrimination is encouraged or discouraged. In this as in other matters, scholars must strike a careful balance between studying internal and external causal links. Information Classification: General

Culture It is important to appreciate that cultures are both internally diverse and changing. It is then important to carefully investigate the links within the cultural subsystem. Values likely need to be broadly consistent, but links from values to some cultural expressions and to languages may be far weaker. Cultures seem to play a critical role in human functioning and thus we need to understand the roles that particular cultural phenomena play in human societies. We are hampered by vague definitions of culture. Research should focus on particular causal links rather than attempting to grapple with culture as a whole. Information Classification: General

The Cultural Subsystem Information Classification: General

Health It is important for human scientists to explore the social determinants of health outcomes. We need a more integrated approach to addressing complex public health issues. Health research is scattered across multiple disciplines with limited interaction. Information Classification: General

Art Art is also a very open subsystem. We should pay more attention to how and why art moves us. There is scope for application of diverse methods. Scholars of art should focus on particular causal links involving artistic phenomena rather than theorizing about all of human science. Scholars should be more comparative in orientation so that we can better distinguish the aesthetic from cultural effects (and causes) of art. Information Classification: General

Environmental Humanities The field of environmental humanities should show, rather than assume, that art can encourage environmental sensitivity. It should examine particular causal links, rather than embracing an ever-changing series of broad topics. The Anthropocene is a useful term, perhaps, but research is better focused on particular phenomena and causal links rather than seeking to define the elusive essence of the Anthropocene. Information Classification: General

Science and Technology A more robust and integrated study of (the missing discipline of) science and technology might understanding of how to encourage beneficial innovation while discouraging harmful innovation. We should integrate across applications of diverse methods. generate a more nuanced Information Classification: General

Human Nature Psychologists in recent decades have added much to our understanding of two key questions for human science: the sources of human happiness and the nature of human decision-making. In both cases, there is scope for integrating across a wider range of methods. Information Classification: General

Environment Human scientists need to collaborate with natural scientists. Human scientists studying environmental issues should have some understanding of natural processes. The study of the environment in human science is widely scattered. Greater coherence is desirable. Information Classification: General

History Historians can detail how humans cope with complexity. They can also clarify the nature of contextual generalizations by comparing causal links across a diverse range of contexts. They can allow us to comprehend causal links that unfold over long time frames. Information Classification: General

Philosophy We need far greater efforts at integration in philosophy. In epistemology, we could better know which practices are justified by a range of epistemologies and more practical methodologies. In ethics, we could better know which practices receive strong justification from each of the five types of ethical analysis. In metaphysics, we could integrate scientific and philosophical understandings in a manner that encourages enhanced human science understanding. Human science would benefit if philosophers appreciated that no argument is perfect and thus we should identify hypotheses (both philosophical and scientific) that can be justified in multiple ways. Information Classification: General

Concluding Thoughts Our system-wide perspective allowed us to identify for every subsystem (and for philosophy and history) important questions that deserve more attention, and methods that deserve wider application. Our system-wide perspective also exposes the fact that the disciplinary structure of human science is illogical, and does not provide a clear disciplinary home for specialized research into most human science subsystems. The author is unaware of a similar exercise being performed elsewhere. Information Classification: General