Contemporary concepts of interdisciplinarity

Abstract

Interdisciplinarity is defined in this article as a function of interdependence between disciplines. Interdependence is presented as a result of combined sets of characteristics of a given discipline. According to the level of these characteristics, a science is more or less dependent on one or several other sciences. "Multidisciplinarity", "pluridisciplinarity", and "transdisciplinarity" are discussed as facets of interdisciplinary. It is suggested that interdisciplinarity is natural, spontaneous, and unpredictable, and that it can be verified only through research results; whereas its facets are either artificial arrangements or mere juxtapositions. Interdisciplinarity is also identified with the areas of the Knowledge in which it most happens. New interpretations of "interdisciplinarity" are given, in this paper.