Science, interdisciplinarity, and the society

Scientific research is organized within a range of different disciplines. Besides some historical contingence, the recent landscape of academics reflects mainly divisions between different objects, terminologies, theories, and methods, which are represented by the specific disciplines. Correspondingly, a huge number of (sub-) disciplines have been established until now. Research within these disciplines has contributed and still contributes to the solution of particular scientific and technical questions for the enhancement of human cognition and related practical capabilities. However, it is imaginable that not every problem will find its appropriate discipline. On the other hand, interdisciplinarity evidently has become a matter of course in modern research; it seems to become the most promising working approach solving the questions of modernity. Both observations may be interrelated: The dimensions of certain contemporary problems address several disciplines at the same time which call for—at least—multi-disciplinary advance. Moreover, some of these overarching problems are even so complex, ambiguous, and uncertain with respect to their consequences that they will need more integrated, interdisciplinary approaches. In some cases, corresponding research may be of explicit societal relevance, thus incorporating trans-disciplinary aims and views. A prominent example within this exposition is the enterprise of interdisciplinary research on ‘‘Global Climate Change’’ which is of exceptional public interest. Nevertheless, its outcome is often heavily disputed and has therefore to be justified. The expectations of and reasons for respective interdisciplinary research mainly are based on: (1) complex problems of modern societies, (2) huge public funding schemes for certain interdisciplinary research programmes, and (3) controversial debates about the validity of recommendations from interdisciplinary research for decision makers. Against this background, the Europäische Akademie organized a