A Philosophy of Informing Science

Introduction The transdiscipline of Informing Science, as introduced by Cohen (1999), explores how best to inform clients using information technology. Thinking and researching in Informing Science has expanded in the last decade. The journal Informing Science: an International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline is in its twelve year of publication and the journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology is in its sixth. A Google search for the phrase "Informing Science" now brings up over 38,000 hits. The evolving transdiscipline involves various reference disciplines including psychology, computer science, evolutionary biology, and linguistics. Disciplines that use Informing Science are diverse: included are education, government, business, public relations, and dozens more. The essence of the Informing Science philosophy is the transfer of knowledge from one field to another: breaking down disciplinary boundaries that hinder the flow of knowledge. This paper aims, first, to show the evolving importance of Informing Science. It also points out areas of research that need further exploration and the need for refinement of the Informing Science framework. Informing through Metaphors This paper makes use of a number of metaphors to describe and explain its points. This is nothing new. Goschler (2007) writes about how metaphors inform and impact scientific thinking. This use fits particularly well with the Informing Science philosophy that knowledge developed in and for one area of study often enlightens inquiry in other disciplines The term "metaphor" can be used to mean several related things. Here we are following the linguistic (not grammatical) meaning as a method of applying existing knowledge of how things relate (cognition) to create an understanding of new situations. That is, it is a method that transfers ways of thinking and/or applies existing knowledge to new and different situations. (See Lakoff and Johnson (1980, 1999) for a more detailed discussion of how linguists use the term "metaphor" and Schunk (2004) on its uses in education. ) Exploring with Lasers and Lanterns The first metaphor to help us better understand the Informing Science philosophy is the laser beam and the lantern (adapted from Cohen, 2007b). As we know, a laser provides a highly focused, narrow beam of illumination that stretches to great distances. In contrast, the lantern, while it may provide the same amount of illumination in total, lights up a broad area. It is purposefully unfocused, and so its brightness diminishes exponentially at distances from the source. The laser and the lantern each has its own qualities and uses. The lantern is best at enlightening interrelationships of nearby objects. For this reason we likely would choose a lantern for illumination if walking on a dark path through the wood. But if we wanted to look far into the dark woods, we likely would choose a laser or other highly focused beam of light. There is no one single best source of illumination. Both lasers and lanterns have their uses. We can apply this metaphor to research as conducted in traditional universities. When we do, we note a problem. Only "laser" research is fully rewarded on campuses. Here is what I mean by that. Traditional universities (in the US, anyway) are organized into colleges or schools. Each college is composed of various departments. Figure 1 pictorially shows such a silo organization. [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Professors receive their rewards (paychecks and raises) based on their activities in support of their own department (and school). The most prized (and rewarded) research is conducted on topics specific to one's own department. Research conducted in other areas, even if in collaboration with colleagues from other faculties, is not viewed as valuable as research entirely within one's own department's field. …