1. Intent

(a) Identify the range of those concepts that in some way either integrate or interrelate concepts, especially from different disciplines, or describe conditions or formal properties common to a conceptual approach to the subject matter of many disciplines.

(b) Provide sufficient description of each concept, based on available documents that depend upon and advocate its use, in order to clarify the special importance attached to each such particular integrative or interdisciplinary concept.

This section provides commentaries related to the significance of Integrative Knowledge, a section of the Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential

Related Sections

1. Significance of Integrative Knowledge Project

Scope

Modern times are characterized both by the feeling that profound disagreements are disadvantageous, and that intense efforts at consensus formation are advantageous. However, this notion can be dangerous if it denies the possibility that advantages can be derived from the reality of disagreement processes, and that disadvantages can be associated with dysfunctional consensus formation.

The information given here clearly represents the results of a very preliminary move towards grouping together information on symbols. It is therefore serves mainly as an indication of directions for further exploration.

The fragmentation of society is frequently deplored, as is the fragmentation of knowledge supposedly relevant to any appropriate response to the global problematique. There continue to be calls for integrative, interdisciplinary or unified conceptual approaches to remedy this situation.

As part of the work on classification and integration of the material held in the UIA databases, research continues into radical new approaches to the organization of knowledge. For instance, the UIA has long been concerned with the complexity represented by the networks of international organizations generated though research into international organizations and civil society and detailed in the Yearbook of International Organizations.

Integrative Concepts and Symbols

1. Organizational and intellectual impotence