| In Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge, biologist Edward O. Wilson writes that a “balanced perspective cannot be acquired by studying disciplines in pieces but through pursuit of the consilience among them. Such unification will come hard. But I think it is inevitable. Intellectually it rings true, and it gratifies impulses that rise from the admirable side of human nature. To the extent that the gaps between the great branches of learning can be narrowed, diversity and depth of knowledge will increase. They will do so because of, not despite, the underlying cohesion achieved. The enterprise is important for yet another reason: It gives ultimate purpose to intellect. It promises that order, not chaos, lies beyond the horizon. I think it inevitable that we will accept the adventure, go there, and find out.”1 Amen to that!
My own scholarly interests have never been confined to my areas of training, but constantly leach into other fields, extending my curiosity to topics as surprising to me as tomorrow’s news. Yet, each time I look back, I discover there is still a consilience, a unity, to my explorations. I may never quite know where I am going, but when I get there I see connections, and the destination seems as if it should have been visible all the time, so obvious is it now. |
