2 - Towards the idea of information science as an interscience

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to emphasise the role of the core aspect of the scientific endeavour that is fundamental to any good science but that is currently largely neglected, namely reflection, or the intellectual activity in science. The focus will be on the challenges posed by some contemporary situations and developments to the intellectual activities of the scientific endeavour. The assumption is that science is first and foremost an intellectual activity, an activity of thought. The question to be addressed then is: how do we, as information scientists, respond intellectually to what is happening in the world of information and knowledge development and work, given the context of new socio-cultural and knowledge landscapes? The emphasis will be on rethinking human thinking, our unique human ability that enables us to cope with the world in which we live – a world with dynamic, challenging and ever-changing circumstances and demands – especially in terms of the commitments characteristic of the unique science with which we are involved. Different approaches to establishing a new scientific spirit will be explored, the demands these developments pose to human thinking will be highlighted, and the implications for information science regarding its proposed functioning as a nomad science, and its proposed responsibility of focusing on informatisation and inventiveness, will be specified.