title: On the nature of cross-disciplinary integration: A philosophical framework.
abstract: Meeting grand challenges requires responses that constructively combine multiple forms of expertise, both academic and non-academic; that is, it requires cross-disciplinary integration. But just what is cross-disciplinary integration? In this paper, we supply a preliminary answer by reviewing prominent accounts of cross-disciplinary integration from two literatures that are rarely brought together: cross-disciplinarity and philosophy of biology. Reflecting on similarities and differences in these accounts, we develop a framework that integrates their insights-integration as a generic combination process the details of which are determined by the specific contexts in which particular integrations occur. One such context is cross-disciplinary research, which yields cross-disciplinary integration. We close by reflecting on the potential applicability of this framework to research efforts aimed at meeting grand challenges.
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy, Michigan State University, 503 S. Kedzie Hall, 368 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States. Electronic address: orourk51@msu.edu.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Rourke
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy, Boise State University, 141 Chrisway Annex #1, 2103 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725, United States. Electronic address: stephencrowley@boisestate.edu.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crowley
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy, University of Southern Indiana, 3044 Liberal Arts Center, 8600 University Boulevard, Evansville, IN 47712, United States. Electronic address: cgonnerman@usi.edu.
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gonnerman
mesh_terms: D001695:Biology / Q000379:methods*; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D010684:Philosophy
keywords: Grand challenge; Integration; Interdisciplinarity; Reduction; Transdisciplinarity