Question

The concept of 'Interdisciplinarity' in the Nature of Science suggests that:

• A. Scientific research is always conducted by single, isolated scientists.
• B. Only highly specialized, single-discipline research is considered valid science.
• C. Scientific problems often require knowledge and methods from multiple fields
• D. Scientific advancements primarily stem from breakthroughs in philosophy rather than practical application.

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Scientific problems often require knowledge and methods from multiple fields

Interdisciplinarity in Science

• The concept of Interdisciplinarity in the Nature of Science emphasizes that complex scientific challenges rarely exist in isolation. Instead, they are often intricate and multifaceted, demanding a holistic approach that draws upon diverse areas of knowledge and methodologies.

• Definition: Interdisciplinarity refers to the integration of information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, and/or theories from two or more disciplines or ways of defining a subject.

• Necessity in Modern Science: Many of the most pressing scientific problems today, such as climate change, disease eradication, artificial intelligence, and space exploration, require contributions from various fields like biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, mathematics, sociology, and ethics.

• Example: Consider the development of a new vaccine. This involves not only virology and immunology (biological sciences) but also statistics and epidemiology (mathematical and public health sciences) for clinical trials and distribution, pharmacology for drug development, and even sociology and psychology to understand public acceptance and adherence to vaccination programs.