coyote writes:
Why should they be independent?
Our sciences are human constructs, covering what appear to us to be logical subdivisions of natural and cultural history. But those subdivisions are not always clear cut; we have often established arbitrary lines between continuous phenomena.
Given that, there is no need for any of the subfields of science to be independent of all the others. As was pointed out above, "Shouldn't all knowledge tie together into a unified whole?"
What is useful is for individual scientists to act as "peer reviewers" over others in their areas of study, and in closely related areas of study, catching mistakes and suggesting new avenues for research.
Scientists themselves should be independent, but I don't see any way of making all of the subfields of science independent of one another, nor any use in trying to do so.
And what subfields there are in the geosciences!, their very names often indicate the cross-disciplinary nature. Where would geophysics be without physics? geochemistry without chemistry? planetary geology without astrophysics and observational astronomy? paleontology without biology?
When one understands and has that moment of epiphany concerning the interconnectedness of all natural science, well at least to me it more than rivals that magic time when a basic understanding of theory forces one to understand how every expression of mathematics is both interconnected and an incredible, beautiful expression of human intelligence. Or perhaps on a more personal level how music becomes an object of beauty and fascination, be it classical picked up from Warner Brothers cartoons in preschool or progressive rock when Foxtrot replaces Physical Graffiti, either one heard for the first time in all its majesty (although the classical is buried in time almost before memory).
I pity those who find some limited beauty only within the strict confines of a given narrow religion, family, clan, state, or nation. Indeed, I find the entirety of human knowledge itself a matter of awe, that great mix of history and other humanities, the gradual mental apprehension of the world in which we live be it past, present, or even in speculation about the future.
Sorry to gush, but to me my perceived reality is one great whole, statements of which are not very compatible with forums that by their nature, must focus upon the narrow topic at hand rather than be an appropriate venue for such delight in the interdisciplinary.
Edited by anglagard, : a bit of clean up to make it read better
Read not to contradict and confute, not to believe and take for granted, not to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider - Francis Bacon
The more we understand particular things, the more we understand God - Spinoza