On Defining and Dignifying Disciplines

Are business and management real disciplines? Probably yes. Is computer science a real discipline? Probably yes. Is information systems a real discipline? Not so sure. There are many areas of research and practice in today's world for which it is not clear whether they constitute a real discipline or not. See below for worked-out examples.

How can we tell whether something is a real discipline or not? Here are some ways people have tried to do so, and problems with those ways:

• By whether or not there is a professional institution to represent those involved in the discipline. Problem: anyone with sufficient resource and media savvy can set up a professional institution; and what about the majority world or cultures in which professional institutions are not normal?

• By looking at what people actually do in terms of research and practice, and defining the discipline in terms of undertaking those activities. Problem: it is backward-looking and stifles new avenues of exploration.

• By trying to define core characteristics of the discipline. Problem: this depends too much on what those currently working in the area happen to be interested in.

• By tracing the history of work in this area, possibly by using Foucault's ideas. Problem: again, the history might not be a good guide to the future; also history does not always come in clearly-distinguished packages.

Instead of merely trying to define a discipline perhaps we would do well to dignify it. That is, we try to identify what it's contribution is to the world, now and potentially in the future, and how it relates to other disciplines, especially its neighbours. Perhaps, rather than looking at institutions, activities, characteristics or history, we can look deeper, at something that underlies all these: what kinds of thing are meaningful to those working in the field. People will engage in activity that is meaningful, will be interested in characteristics that are meaningful, will build institutions so they can discuss and promote these meaningful things, and the history of what they do will reflect what remains meaningful throughout. Also, if something is truly meaningful, then that determines what its contribution is and can be. This gives it dignity. Then it has the confidence to relate to other disciplines, and engage in dialogue with them about issues of mutual interest, with give and take.

We might therefore try to delineate disciplines by reference to spheres of meaning. Dooyeweerd's aspects are spheres of meaning.

Examples

Created: 25 July 2009 Last updated: