Alternate title: “Fate, It Seems, Is Not Without Its Sense Of Irony”

In my recent, giddily-excited post about multidisciplinarity, I listed several fields of study, and gave reasons that these many disciplines need to be at the table to solve environmental problems and answer  questions about how the world works.  Our disciplines do not exist in a vacuum…

In my post, however, I didn’t list philosophers.  This error was pointed out to me by a friend who happens to be a philosopher.

Philosophers, I have been remiss; I am sorry for overlooking you.  I need you.  The world needs you.

Because fate has a sense of humor, it was mere days after my philosophy-snubbing post that I found myself needing a philosopher.  I was preparing a post about the role of creativity in science, and found myself butting up against a question about the nature of creativity.  This is the sort of question I am not trained to answer.  Luckily, my real-life philosopher friend, Dr. Nick (yes, that’s Doctor of Philosophy, thankyouverymuch) researches this very thing, and is up to the challenge.

Stay tuned for the conclusion to this dramatic tale, including a bad illustration from yours truly, notes on academic genealogy, and words from guest expert Dr. Nick.