Limits of hyperspecialization

Abstract

We show the need to limit hyperspecialisation in the sciences and academic disciplines. We start from five basic demands of Kantian Sapere aude! We trace the loss of the fruitful alliance between macrophilosophy and the new mathematical-experimental science after Newton. The all-round negative consequences of this hyperspecialisation are exemplified by analysing the tripartition between sociology, social anthropology and ethnography or ethnology. It uncritically hid for decades the dogmatism that stagnantly divided the study of primitive and colonised 'Them' societies by ethnology, ethnography and social and cultural anthropology; as opposed to the 'Us' of civilised and colonising Europeans who - in contrast - were studied by sociology. We show that this discriminatory disciplinary prejudice was rendered invisible by the lack of macro-philosophical, critical and interdisciplinary analysis. We therefore claim and argue for 'macro' analyses that should rebalance the 'micro' hyperspecialisation in all sciences and disciplines.