Search

Background: Human knowledge and innovation are recorded in two media: scholarly publication and patents. These records not only document a new scientific insight or new method developed, but they also carefully cite prior work upon which the innovation is built. Methodology: We quantify the impact of information flow across fields using two large citation dataset: one spanning over a century of scholarly work in the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, and second spanning a quarter century of United States patents. Conclusions: We find that a publication's citing across disciplines is tied to its subsequent impact. In the case of patents and natural science publications, those that are cited at least once are cited slightly more when they draw on research outside of their area. In contrast, in the social sciences, citing within one's own field tends to be positively correlated with impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid proliferation of online content producing and sharing technologies resulted in an explosion of user-generated content (UGC), which now extends to scientific data. Citizen science, in which ordinary people contribute information for scientific research, epitomizes UGC. Citizen science projects are typically open to everyone, engage diverse audiences, and challenge ordinary people to produce data of highest quality to be usable in science. This also makes citizen science a very exciting area to study both traditional and innovative approaches to information quality management. With this paper we position citizen science as a leading information quality research frontier. We also show how citizen science opens a unique opportunity for the information systems community to contribute to a broad range of disciplines in natural and social sciences and humanities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this text, I introduce the special feature of Religio: Revue pro religionistiku 20/1, 2012, "Religious Studies as a Scientific Discipline: A Delusion?". I briefly summarize the main argument of the original article "Religious Studies as a Scientific Discipline: The Persistence of a Delusion" by Luther H. Martin and Donald Wiebe, and those of the five responses by Hans Gerald Hödl, Hubert Seiwert, Radek Kundt, Tomáš Bubík, and Kocku von Stuckrad. At the end, I return to the EASR conference 2011 in Budapest, Hungary, where Martin and Wiebe's paper was originally presented, and comment on this event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research in the paper is directed towards the study of gender equality in science and education, with a focus on science and research activities in Serbia. The aim of the research conducted is to identify certain anomalies indicating the presence of a gender gap in education and science and to compare the trend in the domain of gender inequality with the one detected in Europe. Descriptive statistics is used in the research. The data is collected from various sources and the relevant literature that explores the gender gap in education and science, primarily focusing on the publications of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (SORS). The research proved the presence of gender inequality in science and research activities in Serbia. In fact, the gender segregation that is present in the education system is also reflected in the field of science. The research also confirmed the existence of vertical segregation, manifested through women's extremely modest participation in management positions of institutes and faculties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that more work is needed to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaborations by scholars across the physical sciences and humanities to improve Data Rescue Activities (DARE). Debate over the scale and potential impact of anthropogenic global warming is one of the dominant narratives of the twenty-first century. Predicting future climates and determining how environment and society might be affected by climate change are global issues of social, economic and political importance. They require responses from different research communities and necessitate closer inter-disciplinary working relationships for an integrated approach. Improving the datasets required for long-term climate models is an important part of this process. Establishing a multi-disciplinary dialogue and approach to DARE activities is increasingly being recognised as the best way to achieve this. This paper focuses on the recovery of the long-term instrumental weather observations used for models and reconstructions of the climate over the past two-hundred years. Written from the perspective of an historian working in the field, it does not seek to explore the reconstructions themselves but the process of data gathering, advocating a closer working relationship between the arts, social sciences, and sciences to extend the geographic and temporal coverage of extant datasets. This is especially important for regions where data gaps exist currently. First, it will offer a justification for extending data recovery activities for Southeast Asia and the China Seas region. Second, it will offer a brief overview of the data recovery projects currently operating in that area and the typesof historic source material that are used. Third, it will explore the work currently being undertaken for Southeast Asia and China under the Atmospheric Circulation Reconstructions over the Earth initiative as an example of a successful cross-disciplinary program. Finally, it will argue the importance of advertising DARE activities across different fields and the benefits of a more joined-up discussion on potential data sources by exploring the use of the resource by the wider academic community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay discusses the concept of discovery, intended as content discovery, and defines it in the new context of Open Science, with a focus on Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH). Starting from the example of Google Scholar, the authors show that this well established service does not address the current needs, practices, and variety of discovery. Alternatives in terms of technical choices, features, and governance, do however exist, offering richer and more open discovery. The paper presents in particular the implementations and research work of the H2020 project TRIPLE (Transforming Research through Innovative Practices for Linked Interdisciplinary Exploration). Dedicated to the building of a discovery platform for the SSH, the project is meant to address the specificities and evolution of discovery in this field. Prevailing scholarly resource platforms like Google Scholar limit discovery by focussing only on publications, and favouring through their algorithm well-cited papers, English content, and discipline-specific resources. A limitation in the context of cross-disciplinary and collaborative Open Science, such a service more specifically hinders discovery in the SSH. Characterized by a fragmented landscape, a variety of languages, data types, and outputs, research in the SSH requires services that fully exploit discovery potentialities. Moreover, a survey conducted within the TRIPLE project showed that most SSH researchers use Google Scholar as their starting point, and that they recognise the lack of control they have with this system. Beyond the extension of features and content, transparency is the other important criterion for the building of an Open Infrastructure actually serving the research community. In light of this, we present in some detail the GoTriple platform, which exploits today’s technological potential and incorporates the best known functionalities in order to unveil more and innovative scholarly outputs and lead to international and interdisciplinary research project collaborations.

The aim of this paper is to provide some sketchy remarks on the post-empiricist phenomenon in philosophy of science, taking into account the themes of the relationships between language on the one side and reality on the other, and the parallel problem of the alleged elimination of metaphysics. Unlike the logical empiricists, Popper believes that a clear separation between (i) analytic and synthetic sentences, and (ii) between theory and observation, is an impossible task. According to his view, theory and observation are intimately linked to each other, and no pure observation is ever possible. A position very similar to Popper's was endorsed by the American pragmatists in the last two centuries with Charles S. Peirce, William James and John Dewey. There also are important similarities between what Popper says and William James' theses. It is clear that if we recognize that the theoretical dimension precedes observation, and if we claim furthermore that scientific theories have a creative character, then we may explain the "jumps" that often take place in the history of science. Later on Feyerabend and his followers have turned philosophy of science into something mysterious and not easily classifiable in philosophical or scientific terms. The anything goes undermines the meaning itself of the discipline. If science is equated to any other dimension of spirit - art, religion, or even witchcraft - the specific and cognitive character of scientific rationality is eliminated. It follows that philosophy of science loses any meaningful role within the field of human knowledge, while even philosophy as such becomes more similar to a joke than to a serious endeavor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dichotomy between the sciences and the humanities has continued to be a concern, particularly in the 21st Century. However, conscious and consistent efforts are being made globally at bridging the gap through the promotion of interaction and multidisciplinary approach to issues. Contemporary studies on these have not only engaged from diverse theoretical positions but have made specific interventions in reconstructing the link that will synergise both in the new world order. This study juxtaposes these realities vis -a-vis the purpose and significance of the sciences and the humanities as separate enterprises, and when melded together as a single enterprise. Taking bearing from the medical practices of Sigmund Freud, his interpretations and diagnostic approach to literature; this paper examines the professional experience of Wale Okediran and his literary writings. Okediran, a Nigerian physician, writer and politician, through his work, social and political interaction further ennobles the fusion of the sciences and the humanities in being able to conscientise and positively influence his society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

shared problem across the sciences is to make sense of correlational data coming from observations and/or from experiments. Arguably, this means establishing when correlations are causal and when they are not. This is an old problem in philosophy. This paper, narrowing down the scope to quantitative causal analysis in social science, reformulates the problem in terms of the validity of statistical models. Two strategies to make sense of correlational data are presented: first, a 'structural strategy', the goal of which is to model and test causal structures that explain correlational data; second, a 'manipulationist or interventionist strategy', that hinges upon the notion of invariance under intervention. It is argued that while the former can offer a solution the latter cannot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper justifies the concept of ’’thematic structure‘‘ or ’’order of knowledge‘‘ over the traditional ’’classification of sciences‘‘ due to the uncertainty of many classification criteria. The thematic structure of science has, of course, various levels and various dimensions. Arguments against any forms of separating the humanities from sciences in the traditional sense of the term are presented and discussed. Equally unacceptable are attempts at sharp separation of technical disciplines and humanities. The thematic structure of humanities is not created by some material aspects but rather through the interest – or problem-oriented aspects. In addition to the natural sciences and the humanities there exists an important sphere of sciences on artefacts or, using the term by H. Simon, the sciences of the artificial. For the contemporary research activities is typical what could be denoted as ’’interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary complex.‘‘ The paper traces a set of epistemological criteria for the justification of the relative independence of a scientific discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I examine Quine‘s indispensability argument, with particular emphasis on what is meant by ’indispensable‘. I show that confirmation theory plays a crucial role in answering this question and that once indispensability is understood in this light, Quine‘s argument is seen to be a serious stumbling block for any scientific realist wishing to maintain an anti-realist position with regard to mathematical entities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A form of metaphysical humanism in the field of philosophy of technology can be defined as the claim that besides technologies' physical aspects, purely human attributes are sufficient to conceptualize technologies. Metaphysical nonhumanism, on the other hand, would be the claim that the meanings of the operative words in any acceptable conception of technologies refer to the states of affairs or events which are in a way or another shaped by technologies. In this paper, I focus on the conception of technologies as problem-solving physical instruments in order to study the debate between the humanist and the nonhumanist ways of understanding technologies. I argue that this conception commits us to a hybrid understanding of technologies, one which is partly humanist and partly nonhumanist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I will discuss what specific traits distinguish sciences from other historical institutions. First I will review several philosophies conceiving sciences having in mind constitutive, but generic, features. This is the case when sciences are understood as explanation, as comprehension, as knowledge, as description, as representation, as construction, as cultural institution, as experimentation and elaboration of hypotheses, as theory, and as instrument of domination and intervention on reality. I put forward certain specific traits of theorems and scientific fields that allow us to distinguish sciences from other historical formations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the study of law as an academic discipline, in two ways. First, the study of law within the university does not speak for itself: in contrast with classical Athens, where law was not at all considered to be a matter for specialists, or Norman England, where specialists with a vocational training came to deal with the ‘common law’, in continental Europe at the end of the 11th century the study of law developed into one of the core academic disciplines at the newly established universities, as a result of the revival of the Byzantine version of Roman law as the ius commune. Second, as an academic study, contrary to what is sometimes suggested, the methods available to its students are diverse. This paper shows that law can be studied with the help of methods comparable to the ones used in other academic disciplines, notably the natural sciences and the humanities.

Copyright of Ethnological Forum / Etnoloska Tribina is the property of Etnoloska Tribina / Ethnological Forum and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Scientific essentialism holds that: (1) each scientific kind is associated with the same set of properties in every possible world; and (2) every individual member of a scientific kind belongs to that kind in every possible world in which it exists. Recently, Ellis (Scientific essentialism, ; The philosophy of nature ) has provided the most sustained defense of scientific essentialism, though he does not clearly distinguish these two claims. In this paper, I argue that both claims face a number of formidable difficulties. The necessities of scientific essentialism are not adequately distinguished from semantic necessities, they have not been shown to be necessities in the strictest sense, they must be relativized to context, and they must either be confined to a subset of scientific properties without warrant or their connection to causal powers must be revoked. Moreover, upon closer examination (1) turns out to be a trivial thesis that can be satisfied by non-kinds, and (2) is inapplicable to some of the most fundamental kinds in the basic sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduces a series of articles which deals with the relationship between history of science and philosophy of science.

Along with crystallized intelligence (Gc), domain-specific knowledge (Gkn) is an important ability within the nomological net of acquired knowledge. Although Gkn has been shown to predict important life outcomes, only a few standardized tests measuring Gkn exist, especially for the adult population. Complicating things, Gkn tests from different cultural circles cannot simply be translated as they need to be culture specific. Hence, this study aimed to develop a Gkn test culturally sensitive to a German population and to provide initial evidence for the resulting scores' psychometric quality. Existing Gkn tests often mirror a school curriculum. We aimed to operationalize Gkn not solely based upon a typical curriculum to investigate a research question regarding the curriculum dependence of the resulting Gkn structure. A set of newly developed items from a broad range of knowledge categories was presented online to 1450 participants divided into a high (fluid intelligence, Gf) Gf (n = 415) and an unselected Gf subsample (n = 1035). Results support the notion of a hierarchical model comparable to the one curriculum-based tests scores have, with one factor at the top and three narrower factors below (Humanities, Science, Civics) for which each can be divided into smaller knowledge facets. Besides this initial evidence regarding structural validity, the scale scores' reliability estimates are reported, and criterion validity-related evidence based on a known-groups design is provided. Results indicate the psychometric quality of the scores and are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are in a state of impending crisis. And the fault lies in part with academia. For two centuries or so, academia has been devoted to the pursuit of knowledge and technological know-how. This has enormously increased our power to act which has, in turn, brought us both all the great benefits of the modern world and the crises we now face. Modern science and technology have made possible modern industry and agriculture, the explosive growth of the world's population, global warming, modern armaments and the lethal character of modern warfare, destruction of natural habitats and rapid extinction of species, immense inequalities of wealth and power across the globe, pollution of earth, sea and air, even the aids epidemic (aids being spread by modern travel). All these global problems have arisen because some of us have acquired unprecedented powers to act without acquiring the capacity to act wisely. We urgently need to bring about a revolution in universities so that the basic intellectual aim becomes, not knowledge merely, but rather wisdom - wisdom being the capacity to realize what is of value in life, for oneself and others, thus including knowledge and technological know-how, but much else besides. This is an argument I have propounded during the last three decades in six books, over thirty papers, and countless lectures delivered in universities and conferences all over the UK, Europe and north America. Despite all this effort, the argument has, by and large, been ignored. What is really surprising is that philosophers have paid no attention, despite the fact that that this body of work claims to solve the profoundly important philosophical problem: What kind of inquiry best helps us make progress towards as good a world as possible? There are, nevertheless, indications that some scientists and university administrators are beginning to become aware of the urgent need for science, and universities, to change. This is prompted, partly by growing awareness of the seriousness of environmental problems, especially global warming, and partly by a concern to improve the relationship between science and the public. So far, however, these changes have been small-scale, scattered and piecemeal. What we require is for academics and non-academics alike to wake up to the urgent need for change so that we may come to possess what we so strikingly and disastrously lack at present: a kind of inquiry rationally devoted to helping humanity make progress towards as good a world as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the controversy created by Goethe's scientific writings all through the twentieth century, and discusses its varied interpretations by philosophers and historians of literature and science, among which stands out that of the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. This overview reveals a common misconception: there supposed to be a divide between Goethe as a poet and Goethe as a science man, although such separation is impossible to conceive in Goethe's thought, and his scientific writings are not more than superstition and poetic fantasy. The critique of such a mistaken notion permits to reevaluate the goethean ideal of integration between the artist and the scientist, between Science and Humanities, an endeavor that recent trends of thought, like the Third Culture, are debating and validating today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a specific spiritual field, philosophy has its inner establishment and duration regulations. To attribute philosophical feature to a reflective activity, it is necessary for it to fulfil certain assumptions. At individual level, it is necessary for a spirit to make a shift through personal efforts from self-understanding to self-aware thinking; what is needed at general level is abundant historical, cultural and spiritual heritage. Various philosophies have been created in this context within the European space. The paper considers the possibility of their autochthonous and authentic grounding, as well as the issue of their permeation and intertwining from the traditional and contemporary aspect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SysMus10, the third International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology, was held at the University of Cambridge, UK, in September 2010. The conference was organised by PhD students at the Centre for Music and Science in the University's Faculty of Music. SysMus10 brought together around 40 advanced students working in the field of systematic musicology representing 14 nationalities. The presentations primarily focused on the students' ongoing research for their PhDs or Masters' degrees. The conference included the presentation and publication of 25 peer-reviewed papers and posters, keynotes from top researchers in the field (Eric Clarke, Nicholas Cook, and Petri Toiviainen), a workshop and several social activities. Although the conference revealed that the concept of “systematic musicology” is still not known much outside the German-speaking research community, it served as an excellent exchange platform for students doing music research in various disciplines. SysMus10 successfully continued the strong work of the first two SysMus conferences (SysMus08, held in Graz, Austria, and SysMus09, held in Ghent, Belgium), and no doubt next year's conference, SysMus11 (to be held in Cologne, Germany), will be just as enlightening and inspiring for young musicologists and students of other fields alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the possibility on the integration of the sciences with humanities by considering the theory of indexicality developed by Charles S. Peirce. The author explores Peirce's theory of indices which focuses on indexical signs and the significant role it plays in understanding theoretical concepts. It provides a comparison on Carlo Ginzburg's view concerning indices and traces with that of Peirce's theory of indexical signs. In addition, a discussion on the functions of different indices and traces as well as their semiotical connectivity are also discussed. Furthermore, the empirical generality of Pierce's indexical signs and its applications in the field of sciences is mentioned.

This paper explores the relation between art and science using an investigation of aesthetics, modes of representation and creativity in these disciplines. Emphasis is placed on case studies of artists and scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen science projects need to attract citizens and motivate them to dedicate their energy and time to science. Recruiting enough participants and keeping them engaged throughout the project is often a big challenge for the scientists involved. In this paper, recruiting and engagement strategies are evaluated for a successful midsize online citizen science project in the field of humanities. Quantitative measures are applied to track the quantity and quality of citizens’ contributions over time, allowing understanding of the dynamics of engagement in citizen science. The study shows that monitoring the level of activity and the quality of contributions provides useful insights about a project’s dynamics. We found that a small core group of volunteers was responsible for most of the input to the project, that their transcriptions were very accurate from the start, and that prompt feedback on their performance was important to keep activity levels high.

Background and Aim: Data extracted from ISI databases (indexes) and the scientometric indicators are the bases of judgment on scientific influence and developments. This review article aimed at explaining possible differences in the scientometrics of sciences, social sciences and humanities based on ISI’s scientometric indicators. Material and Methods: Reanalyzing statistical data of some scientometric literature, extracting data from ISI Web of Knowledge and reviewing literature, these differences were explored in this paper. Findings: Limits of these databases in one hand and natural and inherent differences among scholarship fields and disciplines in other hand questioned the same use and similar interpretation of these indicators. Factors account to arise such differences include among others: discrepancies in ISI coverage of science, social science and humanities, different national/international orientation of ISI indexed journals in terms of different scholarship fields, disciplines and domains, variations in theatrical developments and consequent variations in citing and publishing behaviors of scholars, different publication formats and different target audience, language barriers (domination of English language in ISI indexes), tendency to one-authored publishing in some soft/qualitative fields, and citation to multiple written communication media in social science and humanities rather than in science. Conclusion: Considering the limitations of ISI scientometric indicators in evaluating all disciplines and fields, a methodology including current reformed methods in scientometrics and peer judgment is needed for achieving the best way, especially for scientometrics in qualitative fields of social science and humanities.

The article offers information on the Special Session sponsored by the Historical Records Committee (HRC) with the Ecological Society of America focused on the theme of preserving ecology’s record for the 21st century with opportunities and challenges. It focuses on the needs and opportunities for historical preservation.

This case study and analysis presents an argument for the integration of science into English courses in order to emphasis the usefulness of a Science, Technology, Education, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education. The idea for this approach arose after the implementation of a divisional initiative to create learning communities with a STEM cohort of students called Student Persistence and Retention via Curricula, Cohorts, and Centralization (SPARC3). This program and its purpose will be explored in relation to how and why the sciences should learn from the humanities and the humanities should learn from the sciences. The class detailed in this study uses science in order to teach academic communication, research, and logic in a college English course. In seeing issues commonly thought of as 'science topics' from a different perspective, the humanities help to stress analytical thinking, in-depth research, precise rhetoric, and effective communication, providing students with tools to approach scientific topics with more complex reasoning through literature, philosophy, and ethics. This study confirms that a new approach to science and the humanities is both necessary and beneficial to collegiate education due to the new demands of the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are in a state of impending crisis. And the fault lies in part with academia. For two centuries or so, academia has been devoted to the pursuit of knowledge and technological know-how. This has enormously increased our power to act which has, in turn, brought us both all the great benefits of the modern world and the crises we now face. Modern science and technology have made possible modern industry and agriculture, the explosive growth of the world’s population, global warming, modern armaments and the lethal character of modern warfare, destruction of natural habitats and rapid extinction of species, immense inequalities of wealth and power across the globe, pollution of earth, sea and air, even the aids epidemic (aids being spread by modern travel). All these global problems have arisen because some of us have acquired unprecedented powers to act without acquiring the capacity to act wisely. We urgently need to bring about a revolution in universities so that the basic intellectual aim becomes, not knowledge merely, but rather wisdom – wisdom being the capacity to realize what is of value in life, for oneself and others, thus including knowledge and technological know-how, but much else besides. This is an argument I have propounded during the last three decades in six books, over thirty papers, and countless lectures delivered in universities and conferences all over the UK, Europe and north America. Despite all this effort, the argument has, by and large, been ignored. What is really surprising is that philosophers have paid no attention, despite the fact that that this body of work claims to solve the profoundly important philosophical problem: What kind of inquiry best helps us make progress towards as good a world as possible? There are, nevertheless, indications that some scientists and university administrators are beginning to become aware of the urgent need for science, and universities, to change. This is prompted, partly by growing awareness of the seriousness of environmental problems, especially global warming, and partly by a concern to improve the relationship between science and the public. So far, however, these changes have been small-scale, scattered and piecemeal. What we require is for academics and non-academics alike to wake up to the urgent need for change so that we may come to possess what we so strikingly and disastrously lack at present: a kind of inquiry rationally devoted to helping humanity make progress towards as good a world as possible.

SysMus10, the third International Conference of Students of Systematic Musicology, was held at the University of Cambridge, UK, in September 2010. The conference was organised by PhD students at the Centre for Music and Science in the University’s Faculty of Music. SysMus10 brought together around 40 advanced students working in the field of systematic musicology representing 14 nationalities. The presentations primarily focused on the students’ ongoing research for their PhDs or Masters’ degrees. The conference included the presentation and publication of 25 peer- reviewed papers and posters, keynotes from top researchers in the field (Eric Clarke, Nicholas Cook, and Petri Toiviainen), a workshop and several social activities. Although the conference revealed that the concept of “systematic musicology” is still not known much outside the German-speaking research community, it served as an excellent exchange platform for students doing music research in various disciplines. SysMus10 successfully continued the strong work of the first two SysMus conferences (SysMus08, held in Graz, Austria, and SysMus09, held in Ghent, Belgium), and no doubt next year’s conference, SysMus11 (to be held in Cologne, Germany), will be just as enlightening and inspiring for young musicologists and students of other fields alike.

Based on the life experiences of six prominent environmental voices - Fritjof Capra, David Quammen, Brian McLaren, Douglas Wood, Sylvia Earle, and Louise Chawla - I recommend changes in curriculum content for general science courses, specifically biology courses, to increase the ecological identity of our next generation. Experiences that allowed these individuals to develop an emotional connection to the natural world were an important component of their ecological identity. Coupling outdoor experiences with the development of systemic and ecological thinking skills was also crucial. Changing the science curriculum to reflect more holistic and systemic thinking by integrating with humanities and reflective practices is a necessary step to create a population with a highly developed ecological identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heritage and cultural tourism (HCT) is currently one of the fastest growing fields in the tourism domain. Tourism as a composite field of study has traditionally been located within the economic and business management sector. However, due to the range of social, political and ethical issues pertaining to heritage and cultural tourism, it can be argued that it should be also located within a humanities context. After elucidating certain key concepts, the paper will consider the interdisciplinary nature of tourism theorist John Tribe. The relevance of tourism and its relationship with the humanities cluster of established disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, art, literature, history and heriatge will be discussed. It will become apparent that heritage and cultural tourism is also locating itself within the domain of the humanities, despite efforts to dislocate it. Key words: heritage and cultural tourism (HCT), economic and business management, humanities, mutlidisciplinary field, interdisciplinary, cross-disciplinary research Disciplines: anthropology, archeology, art, business ecobomics, geography, heritage, history, literature, film, socioloy

Many events in Finland during the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) clearly demonstrated that there can be real interactions between the arts, humanities and science. We have found the 50-year-old concept, introduced by C. P. Snow, of two cultures unable to engage in a dialogue to be irrelevant. In Finland, astronomy has always been popular. The IYA2009 was celebrated in Finland with many local, national and international events. Altogether there were more than 400 events of all sizes. Arts and cultural activities were essential parts of many of these events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we investigated students' domain-specific and domain-general epistemological perspectives within the social sciences/humanities and the sciences. Data validated a grounded theory of how epistemological beliefs develop at different paces in these domains. Results are discussed in terms of how to use these differences to inform teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is philosophy an appropriate means for inducing the 'moral point of view' with respect to nature? The moral point of view involves a feeling for the inner reality of others, a feeling which, it is argued, is induced more by processes of synergistic interaction than by the kind of rational deliberation that classically constituted philosophy. But how are we to engage synergistically with other-than-human life forms and systems? While synergy with animals presents no in-principle difficulty, synergy with larger life systems takes us into epistemological realms explored only in the margins of the Western tradition, such as in Goethe's Romantic alternative to science. These 'alternative' epistemological realms are however the very province of the Daoist arts of China, and these arts accordingly furnish us with practices conducive to a moral consciousness of nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A basic survey of the issues that arise in discussing emergence is presented, together with suggestions on how the concept should be approached. Emergence is an alternative to reductionism. The emergence story invites us to see that nothing transcends nature like nature itself; it is a radically new way to think about the natural order, and it reshapes our ideas of matter. Special attention is given to the idea of meaning in life. Three options are discussed for thinking about the meaning of life: that it is fundamental to the nature of things, that it is an illusion, and that it is an emergent property of matter. The third option is favored—that the universe has no telos, and yet makes possible the spontaneous emergence of purpose. Caution is advised against exploiting the idea of emergence. The most important task is to understand the science of emergence and only then to move into interpretations from the humanities and theology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1933, the Prussian Academy of Sciences and Humanities was an exclusive learned society, out of touch with modern methods and funding, which had also failed to re-establish itself as a ‘centre of research’. During the Nazi regime, it was at best peripherally involved in the restructuring of German academia. While some of its members played a political role, the Academy itself retained its status as a learned society, even an academic club. This helped make possible its subsequent adaptation to the new political order in post-war Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores two striking incongruities between scientific practice and trends in modern history and philosophy of science. Argument on the importance of looking at non-local aspects of scientific methodology; Different motivation for keeping evidence and explanation separate; Important role of common-origin inference (COI); Features of COI; Difference between the Hypothetico-Deductive (H-D) account and the meta-COI account of confirmation.

Shares the author's views on the role of science in developing the concept of the arts. Principles inspiring the works of scientists and artists; Role of science as a source of new ideas for artists to thrive on; Benefit brought by the arts and humanities to science.

In this article, the author begins with the classic dichotomy of sociologist C.P. Snow's two cultures of science and the humanities. He argues that although there are considerable differences in content concerns for these two areas of study, the basic elements of conjecture and subjectivity are as common intellectual principles of the scientific method as they are of the humanities. The author further maintains that to escape the cultural hostility of Snow's dichotomy, across disciplines that sociologists must remember that they are attempting to teach both what they know and how they came to know it. What the author advocates is that sociologists as instructors concentrate not only on teaching the facts of content or substance in a given field, but also the practice and critical analysis of means by which sociologists gain their knowledge.

The article explores some ideas in the field of meta-philosophy. It notes that the concept of philosophy must be distinguished from other fields and should be assimilated in broader categories, including sciences, humanities and arts. It further stresses that the existence of philosophy has been crucial on the determination of good judgments.