Against Integration

Abstract

A lack of integration is often identified as a fundamental problem in psychology and the social sciences. It is thought that only through increased cooperation among the various disciplines and sub-disciplines, and integration of their different theoretical approaches, can psychology and the social sciences make real progress. An increasing number of psychologists have recently been proposing that the theory of evolution must be accepted as the foundation of all the sciences that deal with human beings, including their behaviour and culture. I argue, however, that the ideal of integration is based on a mistaken idea of natural science as a seamless whole. Moreover, the close connection between language and mind entails the need for a different approach to behaviour and culture than the one offered by evolutionary psychology. Rather than to seek integration, psychology and the social sciences need to make the existing pluralism more productive. I argue that the concept of boundaries offers a good starting-point for reflecting on disciplinary diversity.