Vom 18.-21.September 2010 erfolgte im Neversdorfer Stiftungshaus die konstituierende erste Sitzung des interdisziplinären Netzwerkes "Philosophy of Interdisciplinarity" (PIN-Netzwerk), einem deutsch-amerikanischen Kooperationsprojekt von Professoren der Hochschule Darmstadt, der Georgia-Tech-University und der University of North Texas. Ziel des Projektes ist neben konzeptioneller Grundlagenforschung vor allem die Entwicklung eines Forschungsnetzwerkes, um interdisziplinäre Forschungsaktivitäten zu koordinieren. Dies ausdrücklich unter Einbeziehung der "ungenutzten Potenziale der Philosophie" und d.h. vor allem deren "Reflexionspotenziale" fruchtbar zu machen. Die 18 Teilnehmer des konstituierenden Workshops rekrutierten sich aus Deutschland (6), der EU (5) und den USA (7).

Der Neversdorfer Workshop diente der Entwicklung eines dreijährigen Arbeitsplanes, der dann seine Ergebnisse auf zwei öffentlichen Tagungen vorstellte: 2011 an der University of Texas sowie 2012 in Tübingen im Studienhaus der Stiftung in Tübingen FORUM SCIENTIARUM (gefördert durch die Udo Keller Stiftung Forum Humanum).

The world has problems - academia has departments! The problems do not necessarily fit in with the disciplinary structure of universities. This poses a challenge for the knowledge system as a whole and for philosophy in particular, both as a way of thinking and as an academic discipline. "Interdisciplinarity" is frequently perceived as an answer to these challenges, but is this answer convincing?

The PIN conferences provide a forum for reflection on two issues: the philosophy of
interdisciplinarity, and philosophy as interdisciplinarity. The first focuses on problems regarding the practices, difficulties, and theories of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. The second, considers the theoretical and practical challenges attendant to a new philosophical practice of reflective engagement in the world - one that questions and overcomes the boundaries that have constituted philosophy as a discipline in the 20th century.

This conference forms part of a series of continuing efforts to create a community of theory and practice of interdisciplinarity that is interested in meeting these challenges. We invite you to join this community.

Invited speakers and discussants for the forthcoming conference include: Steve Fuller, Stephan Lingner, Wolfgang Krohn, Andrew Light, Michael O'Rourke, Stephen Crowley, Hanne Andersen, René von Schomberg, Nicola Erny, Adam Briggle, Kyle Powys Whyte, Kathryn Plaisance, Philipp Balsiger, and others.

We invite you to a two day conference that will focus on questions such as:

• How does interdisciplinary communication work? How to deal with problems such as conceptual incommensurability and discipline-specific problem framing?
• What does it mean to "integrate" multiple forms of expertise and to "cross" the boundaries of knowledge systems?
• Are there types of knowledge production that require interdisciplinary approaches?
• What can philosophical expertise contribute to real-world problems? For example to global change studies, technology assessment, sustainability research, social-ecological research, engineering ethics and policy consultancy?
• How does philosophy itself need to change for being able to contribute to real-world problems?
• How can we foster a community of practice that opens up pathways to a new kind of philosophy?
• How should we change philosophical institutions, education, and practices?
• What can philosophy contribute to a reflection on interdisciplinarity and problems of interdisciplinary collaboration?

(Aus dem Call for Papers)