The Polymath in an Age of Specialization

In a cultural history of polymaths from the Renaissance to the present (from Leonardo da Vinci to Umberto Eco), Peter Burke examines the figure of the polymath and its survival in an age of specialization. At first glance, it may seem counterintuitive to assume that the polymath has managed to overcome the disciplinary borders which have been drawn since the mid-nineteenth century and which structurally manifest themselves in the division of universities into faculties, departments, and institutes. Yet, as Peter Burke will show, the species of the polymath has continued to exist; and it still does today – despite an undeniable decline.

The talk is followed by a discussion with members of Die Junge Akademie, amongst them Fabian Krämer and Christoph Lundgreen, who critically examine the role of disciplinary borders in their work within their research group ‘Two Cultures of Sciences’.

The event, like all events at the ICI Berlin, is open to the public, free of charge. The audience is presumed to consent to a possible recording on the part of the ICI Berlin. If you would like to attend the event yet might require assistance, please contact Event Management.