Bates Discussion Questions, Chapter 11 11.1 Interdisciplinary common ground is one or more concepts or assumptions through which conflicting insights or theories can be largely reconciled and subsequently integrated, thus enabling collaborative communication between disiciplines....a necessary but not sufficient condition for integration. (322) 11.2 Our everyday perception of facts and events depends on the categories we bring to a certain situation....[that perception is contingent on] the way our brain subjectively constructs perceiving, seeing, and acting. (326) According to Bromme and Clarke, Common ground theory says that "all contributions to the process of of mutual understanding serve to establish or ascertain and continually maintain" (comprehend) various and sundry different perspectives. (326) Therefore, the implications for dealing with conflict are described this way: Adjudicating disciplinary disputes over...meaning... involves closely reading definitions of concepts and identifying differences in meaning, [then] drawing on the intellectual skills of philosophy (using abstract thinking to make fine distinctions...) (327) 11.3 Helen Keller's story "provides an example, though imperfect, of how intuition helps achieve common ground between two persons who have been unable to communicate with each other;" ie. the intuitive flash of "spilled water to make the sign for water in Keller's hand." (331) "The example overlooks the fact that one usually has to redefine disciplinary concepts in order to achieve common ground." According to Repko, there was no "redefinition" going on between Anne and Keller. I disagree. In my opinion, there was nothing BUT redefinition going on. But then again, I have a different disciplinary outlook on the philosophy of language than our author. 11.4 "The marriage counselor knows that nothing lasting will be achieved if the parties remain focused on the issues that divide them, much as the interdisciplinarian knows that common ground will not be created if the focus remains on the differences between the interdisciplinary insights." (332). Once again, I disagree with Repko when he says that "the conflicting issues cannot be neatly categorized into disciplinary or theoretical terms." That sounds EXACTLY like every interdisciplinary problem or research issue that he has used, like every example given! 11.5 The facilitator's role in the ARD meeting is similar to that of the interdisciplinary student who is attempting to produce an integrative understanding [because]: • each discipline brings it's perspective to the table • each discipline assigns causation based on disciplinary perspectives • the student must allow each viewpoint to be expressed • identify conflicts and their sources

• encourage points of agreement to surface (337) 11.6 Creating common ground examples: • some authors reference a concept, other authors do not

• Utilize technique of redefinition, such that "every discipline has its own vocabulary expressed as concepts, it is necessary for the interdisciplinarian to create a common vocabulary to facilitate communication-- that is, to 'get them on the same page.'" (336)

• all authors reference a concept, but each uses a different definition • Utilize technique of redefinition AND extension, such that the student pays close attention to

how the same concept may have different meanings when used by different disciplines within the context of the same problem (337)

• be alert to how experts from different disciplines use different concepts in their discussion of the same problem, and cases where different concepts have overlapping meanings

• avoid redefining terms in such a way that you tacitly favors one discipline over another • some authors explain in theoretical terms, others do not

• Utilize the technique of transformation, such that the student "modifies concepts or assumptions that are not merely different but oppositional [thereby] pushing back assumptions and extending the scope of the theory. " (343)

11.7 The techniques this question calls on are the same as those listed in 11.6. 11.8 "Bal uses the technique of extension to create common vocabulary centered on the verb to expose to which she connects three nouns: exposition, expose, and exposure." (340) In doing this, Bal has extended the meaning of the word beyond the domain of the discipline that originated it and into others. 11.9 "Unable to work with concepts (due to their great diversity, multiple definitions used, conflicting and theoretical opposition, etc) he decided instead to work with assumptions. (341)