Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies, Colloquium by EOU’s John Lundy

Oct. 9, 2023

Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies, Colloquium by EOU’s John Lundy

LA GRANDE, Ore. – This year’s first Eastern Oregon University Colloquium will be presented by John Lundy, titled “Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies.”

The presentation will take place on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 4 p.m. in Ackerman Hall, room 210. Lundy is an Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies & Philosophy, and Chair of Interdisciplinary Studies, titled “Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies.”

Interdisciplinary experts are like architects who connect different areas of knowledge. They can either mix these areas together smoothly or look at them from a higher perspective. This helps them explore new ideas and expand their understanding of the world, and in this process, they bring the wisdom of philosophy into a modern context.

“Beyond disciplinary expertise, what is it that an individual researcher or participants in collaboration brings to the table vis á vis their interdisciplinary expertise? In answering this question, I explore a tension between two conceptions,” Lundy said. “The first sees the interdisciplinarian as a multi-disciplinarian, able to move deftly between and integrate various disciplines. Their contribution consists in combining specific disciplinary perspectives. The second conception views the interdisciplinarian as a kind of meta-disciplinarian, working one step removed from disciplines themselves and functioning primarily as a big-picture, systematic thinker, who provides a meta-disciplinary framework to scaffold and direct the inquiry.”

Lundy intends to argue that the interdisciplinarians’ integrative and big-picture thinking—the site of their substantive contribution—partially overlaps with the disciplines but also extends into a space beyond them. Lundy intends to suggest it corresponds, largely, to the traditional domain of philosophy.