It traverses the scales of space, time, and complexity to unite the disparate facts of the disciplines by consilience, the perception of a seamless web of cause and effect. The central idea of the consilience world view is that all tangible phenomena from both the birth of stars to the workings of social institutions, are based on materials processes that are ultimately reducible, however long and tortuous the sequences, to the laws of physics. In support of this idea is the conclusion of biologists that humanity is kin to all other life forms by common descent. We share essentially the same DNA genetic code, which is transcribed into RNA and translated into problems with the same amino acids. These considerations do not devalue the determining role of change in history.
Small accidents can have big consequences.
The main thrust of the consilience world view instead is that culture and hence the unique qualities of the human species will make complete sense only when linked in causal explanation to the natural sciences. The Faustian Choice Granted there is also a whiff of brimstone in the consilient world view and a seeming touch of Faust to those committed to its humanistic core. And these too need to be closely examined. In a human-dominated world, the natural environment steadily shrinks, offering correspondingly less and less per capita return in energy and resources. Advanced technology has become the ultimate prosthesis.