The Lost Art Of Interdisciplinary Learning

How Holistic Education Could Save the Future

“We live in an age in which there is too much information, less knowledge and even less wisdom. That ratio needs to be reversed. We definitely need less information, more knowledge, and much more wisdom.” -Elif Shafak

Have you ever wondered why despite being more advanced than ever, the world still feels like it’s falling apart?

Why do new problems keep popping up, problems our grandparents never even imagined?

Honestly, it might just come down to one thing: how and what we learn.

Our education system chops knowledge up into pieces. Maths class is separate from history class, which is separate from science. But in real life, everything is connected.

What if we changed that?

What if we learned the way we naturally want to?

Holistic learning knocks down the walls between subjects. Imagine learning about the water cycle in science class, then seeing how it influenced ancient civilisations in history class, and reading about water myths in literature.

Everything connects, and suddenly, learning feels alive.

Wouldn't you understand the essence of water a whole lot better? And develop a new appreciation for it? Maybe it will light a spark of curiosity in you, and fascinate you.

This isn't a new idea.

Many of the greatest minds in history, like Leonardo da Vinci and of course, the scholars in the Golden Age of Islam, were not just experts in one area but in many—they were polymaths.

They saw the world as a whole, and their diverse understanding helped them solve complex problems.

Studies show that students who learn in an interconnected way, who see the big picture, are not only better at solving problems but are more creative too.

They’re the thinkers we need to tackle today’s global challenges. And they’re the thinkers and doers we NEED to develop.

At KNOW, we looked deeply into the lives of early Muslim scholars and discovered they were all about holistic learning. They didn’t limit themselves to one field. Instead, they merged science, philosophy, and the arts. They were the original innovators.

“To develop a complete mind: Study the science of art; Study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.”―Leonardo da Vinci

I've always loved that quote and it's my dream to revive a world where we have polymaths aplenty - just like the famous House of Wisdom of Baghdad.

Our world is intertwined—economies, ecosystems, societies. Everything depends on everything else.

When we learn holistically, we mirror the world’s complexity in our classrooms. and most of all - in our minds.

We develop the ability to adapt and be flexible.

That makes us better prepared to make a real difference.

So, what if we learned the way we're naturally inclined to?

What if our education was as connected as the world around us?

We certainly wouldn't be worse off for it.

The current way hasn't worked for years.

And who knows, maybe, just maybe, we'd find the peace and solutions our world desperately needs.

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If you’re someone looking for more wisdom - you may find it in our KNOW Your Purpose program - which is an interdisciplinary, comprehensive program which breaks down purpose from an Islamic (and other) perspectives into first principles and then rebuilds it back up again in a way that is unique to the viewer, to provide meaning and understanding to live one’s life on purpose. Enrollment is by application only - check out the program here and if it’s something you are interested in you can apply for a discovery call.