No field of study can advance significantly unless it incorporates knowledge and experience from outside that field

The last century has witnessed an unprecedented advancement in every field of study. The statement contends that no field of inquiry can make significant advancement without incorporating knowledge and experience from other areas. Though, the statement is fundamentally correct in emphasizing the importance of holistic approach for knowledge generation, it goes too far in its generalization that a field of study can only advance significantly if it integrates expertise from other fields.

The world is governed by interplay of myriad physical and social phenomena where one cannot be understood in the absence of others. Therefore, to develop holistic understanding in one area of study, inputs from other areas are required. For instance, an excavation project carried out by anthropologists can benefit from knowledge from different streams. Biochemists can investigate the fossil remains scientifically verifying the anthropological information about the causes of death, life expectancy, population make up, etc. Archaeologists, on the other hand, can corroborate the facts about the population’s economy, mobility, trade and occupations by examining the tools, utensils, weapons and other objects. Similarly, developing expertise in one subject, at times, requires knowledge about other aspects influencing that area. Political scientists and sociologists need to know history to understand the past events that shaped socio-political ideologies. A computer engineer needs knowledge about different businesses, transport, communications, etc. to develop relevant software. Scientists require technical writing skills to communicate and publish their research.

The advent and embracement of interdisciplinary research further lend credence to the statement. Integrating knowledge from different areas has proved indispensable to develop smart solutions for tackling contemporary challenges. The emergence of anti-biotic resistant bacteria strains called ‘superbugs’ required collaborative expertise form polymer chemists and biologists from IBM to develop solution in the form of ‘ninja polymers’. Similarly, great scientific accomplishments have been made by juxtaposing maths on music, architecture on nature, science on arts and so on. Moreover, there are many historical examples of individuals who used their expertise and knowledge of one field to significantly contribute to the other. Consider, for example, Margaret Thatcher, the first British prime minister with a science degree, known for his contribution in formulating policies for climate change. It is safe to claim that it was perhaps the scientific temper and awareness of the chemist turned politician that prompted her to bring the issues of global warming in mainstream British politics.

However, the statement goes too far in claiming that a field of study can advance only after integrating knowledge from other streams. Firstly, it overlooks many subjects that have made significant advancements without relying on expertise from other areas. For example, Mathematics for past many centuries has advanced independently with formulation of myriad theorems and concepts. Same can be claimed for literature and poetry. Lastly, the statement ignores the contributions of many individuals who solely relied on their domain expertise to advance their area of endeavour. The theory of relativity, inarguably one of the greatest advancements in theoretical physics, was developed by Einstein’s thought experiment about space and time without any external knowledge incorporation. Penicillin which changed the meaning of modern medicine was purely a result of a biochemist’s dedication and knowledge.

In conclusion, given the inextricable linkage of the sciences governing the world and the role of interdisciplinary research in knowledge generation, the statement is true in its claim that in any field of inquiry, significant advancement requires inputs from other areas. Yet, by asserting that external expertise is a requisite for all the fields of study to advance, the statement ignores many examples of subjects and individuals who achieved meaningful progress without relying on other domain knowledge.