ABSTRACT
In the last chapter I suggested that philosophy might have a role to play in reducing the gap between some arts and some sciences. I suggested that philosophy might be able to mediate between different intellectual disciplines, and I distinguished the work of mediation from the work of popularization, i.e. the work of presenting certain parts of learning simplistically so that those with a quite different intellectual training have some idea of them. Though it is necessary to popularize if the divide between certain arts and certain sciences is to be reduced at all, it may be necessary to do more if the divide is to be reduced as far as is desirable. A tolerance of the variety of intellectual work may also have to be created. Sometimes this tolerance must be achieved in the face of the mutual suspicion of those who undertake different kinds of work in the arts and sciences. ‘Mediation’ seems the right word for the process of reconciling these suspicious parties.
