Dominic Holland – författare

In this important new text, Holland seeks to explain, by means of social scientific and philosophical inquiry, the difficulties that researchers often experience when attempting to integrate knowledge from different academic disciplines, either individually or as part of a team of subject specialists. It is argued that the difficulty of integrating knowledge from different academic disciplines is the result of, firstly, an inadequate justification of the nature of scientific integration and differentiation and, secondly, the dominance of disciplinary specialization in scientific inquiry.

By focusing on both the theoretical justification for, and the practical feasibility of, integrating knowledge through interdisciplinary research, this book asks what properties of reality make the integration of knowledge from different academic disciplines possible and to what extent it is feasible to integrate knowledge through interdisciplinary research within a traditional, disciplinary context. Accordingly the text is both philosophical and social scientific in content: philosophical in the sense that it presents a theory of causal determination, which will help researchers to understand how reality is both differentiated and interconnected; social scientific in the sense that it presents the results of three case studies of collaborative interdisciplinary research projects.

The book is heavily informed by the philosophy of critical realism. The philosophical argument about the possibility of integration and specialization in science draws explicitly on some of the key concepts of critical realism – particularly those comprising the theory of ‘integrative pluralism’ – while critical realist assumptions underpin the social scientific argument about the causal influence of the social system of knowledge production. By exploring researchers’ conceptions of knowledge and of reality on the one hand and their decisions about what sort of knowledge to produce on the other, Holland shows how the difficulty of scientific integration is both a problem of knowledge and a problem of knowledge production.

This book is essential reading for students and academics interested in the emerging topic of knowledge integration and interdisciplinarity.

In this important new text, Holland seeks to explain, by means of social scientific and philosophical inquiry, the difficulties that researchers often experience when attempting to integrate knowledge from different academic disciplines, either individually or as part of a team of subject specialists. It is argued that the difficulty of integrating knowledge from different academic disciplines is the result of, firstly, an inadequate justification of the nature of scientific integration and differentiation and, secondly, the dominance of disciplinary specialization in scientific inquiry.

By focusing on both the theoretical justification for, and the practical feasibility of, integrating knowledge through interdisciplinary research, this book asks what properties of reality make the integration of knowledge from different academic disciplines possible and to what extent it is feasible to integrate knowledge through interdisciplinary research within a traditional, disciplinary context. Accordingly the text is both philosophical and social scientific in content: philosophical in the sense that it presents a theory of causal determination, which will help researchers to understand how reality is both differentiated and interconnected; social scientific in the sense that it presents the results of three case studies of collaborative interdisciplinary research projects.

The book is heavily informed by the philosophy of critical realism. The philosophical argument about the possibility of integration and specialization in science draws explicitly on some of the key concepts of critical realism – particularly those comprising the theory of ‘integrative pluralism’ – while critical realist assumptions underpin the social scientific argument about the causal influence of the social system of knowledge production. By exploring researchers’ conceptions of knowledge and of reality on the one hand and their decisions about what sort of knowledge to produce on the other, Holland shows how the difficulty of scientific integration is both a problem of knowledge and a problem of knowledge production.

This book is essential reading for students and academics interested in the emerging topic of knowledge integration and interdisciplinarity.

Two series of stand-up comedy and sketches from the hilarious, award-winning comic Dominic Holland “A comedian who makes you feel glad to be alive” The Guardian“The UK master of observational comedy” The Sunday Times Since winning the Perrier Best Newcomer Award at the Edinburgh Festival in 1993, Dominic Holland has gone on to become one of the UK’s best loved comedians. He’s worked with Armando Iannucci, Rob Brydon and supported Eddie Izzard on tour. He is also the father of Tom Holland (best known for starring in the blockbuster Spider-man movies) and made the brilliant 2017 Dominic Holland Eclipsed Edinburgh Fringe show out of the experience of being a superhero’s dad.The Small World of Dominic Holland will have you laughing out loud as the comedian points out the pitfalls of growing up, becoming an adult and having children. He shares his thoughts in a series of stand-up routines and sketches illustrating the minutiae of life - from what we do with our leisure time and how we shop, to exploring fear and pain and the perils of domesticity. Holland’s unique powers of observation make for hilariously addictive listening.In Holland’s Shorts Dominic shares the varied contents of his mind in a series of rapid-fire monologues. He uses a pay-and-display car park, ponders the mysteries of airport shopping, considers the Theory of Evolution, deliberates TV chefs, cereal manufacturers and teachers, discusses the perils of the kidney bean and ponders how to steal a cash machine. And wonders, perhaps most pressingly of all, is there really anything tastier than chicken?Enjoy these two series, available together as a download for the first time.Credits:The Small World of Dominic HollandWritten and presented by Dominic HollandProduced by Maria Espositowith Simon Greenall, Sally Grace and Dave Lamb First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15 August – 19 September 2000Holland’s Shorts Written and presented by Dominic HollandProduced by Victoria LloydMusic by Jim Howardwith Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Martin Hyder and Ed WeeksFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 August – 28 September 2006©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd