Sergio Vilar

The New Rationality

Original title:

La nueva racionalidad. Comprender la complejidad con métodos transdisciplinarios

About the book:

The New Rationality is indispensible reading for those seeking an explanation of transdisciplinary methods relating to complex phenomena. A few decades ago it was  possible and comprehensible to organisae knowledge into separate disciplines with the associated formation of specialists in such areas, since the realities that had to be engaged with were ostensibly simpler. But this fragmented and closed knowledge is becoming less and less successful in describing the complexities of this age: It is increasingly clear we need to create new methodological focuses able to engage with complex fact articulated in hypercomplex networks.

The New Rationality and its thinking implies a shift from the paradigm put in place by Descartes-Newton-Laplace to the Bohr-Piaget-Prigogine paradigm, joined now by such renowned scientists as Jacob, Edelman, Simon and Morin. Intelligent industrialists, too, are requiring that their students and future employees assimilate not just knowledge of their speciality, but also general knowledge and the capacity to connect at a creatorly level with representatives of other specialities.

To that end, it is essential to develop an open, integrative type of culture, in conjunction with the evolving and more or less interpenetrating socioecconomic and technical processes worldwide. Transdisciplinary methods are the instruments most suited to effect these changes. But the transdisciplinary approach is not, as some think, the simple joining forces of diverse specialists.  Rather, it constitutes an efficient methodology   involving the application of a large number of key concepts of a theoretical-concrete nature. 

About the author:

Sergio Vilar has a doctorate in sociology and political science from the Sorbonne, where he has taught. He has published numerous books in his field, and since1984 he has been investigating and developing trans-disciplinary methods in cooperation with various Nobel Prizes.