A new episode of the Epistemic Alchemy Podcast is now available. In this conversation, Dr. Mohammed Raei speaks with Dr. Mark Edwards, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia and a leading scholar in the field of meta-studies and metatheory.
The discussion explores the role of big-picture thinking in science and scholarship and why metatheoretical perspectives may be increasingly important in a world facing complex, interconnected challenges.
During the conversation, Edwards explains the concept of meta-studies—an approach that examines the broader landscape of scientific knowledge by integrating metatheory, meta-methodology, meta-interpretation, and metadata analysis. Rather than focusing on individual studies or disciplines in isolation, meta-studies aim to understand how different forms of knowledge relate to one another and how they can be synthesized to address large-scale problems.
The episode also explores the historical role of metatheoretical thinking, from the intellectual cross-fertilization of the Abbasid translation movement to contemporary debates about how science and scholarship should respond to global challenges.
Among the themes discussed in the episode:
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What meta-studies and metatheory are and why they are often misunderstood
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The importance of integrating different forms of knowledge across disciplines
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How ideas and theories can shape institutions, economies, and social systems
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Why many of today’s global challenges may require metatheoretical approaches
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The conversation ultimately raises a central question for our time:
Do we need more theories—or better ways of integrating and applying the knowledge we already have?
🎧 Listen to the full episode here.