Interdisciplinarity or transdisciplinarity / Interdisciplinariedad o transdiciplinariedad

ABSTRACT

Interdisciplinarity has its origin in sciences related to psychoanalysis and is based on the early works of Géza Róheim and Georges Devereux. It is supported on the need to cross the traditional boundaries between various disciplines, or between various schools of thought as a consequence of the emergence of new needs or the development of new theoretical or technical approaches. However, transdisciplinarity crosses disciplinary boundaries in order to create a holistic approach. Recapping that holism is a methodological and epistemological concept whose postulate is to analyze systems and their properties as a single set and not only through the parts that make up this set. Therefore, transdisciplinary nature facilitates a systemic way of approaching a certain challenge. Contrary to interdisciplinarity, in transdisciplinarity, a deep knowledge of the disciplines involved and skills of moderation, mediation, association and knowledge transfer is needed for a transdisciplinary process to be successful. This means that transdisciplinarity focuses on problem solving by analyzing the problem as a single entity; like an everything.