Specialization vs. Generalization in Modern Education

Introduction: A Society of Specialists

Specialists have their place. Not all doctors can learn to perform brain surgery as well as a heart transplant. Similarly, restaurants that specialize in one type of cuisine are often far better than those that try to please all palates. Each person develops tastes, talents, and tendencies that enable a depth of study in a specific area. However, we have become a society of specialists. Lawyers focus on one type of litigation; authors on one genre; scientists on one subgenus. Because of such intricate specialization, many people have lost sight of the bigger picture.

For example, because doctors are so highly specialized, most view the human body in terms of isolated fragments. As Edward Farley observes, "The splintering of fields in graduate programs has promoted such specialization that it is becoming increasingly difficult for faculty members even in the same field to converse with one another." In modern American culture, at least, specialization has gone too far with some detrimental effects. As Farley further notes in his article "Why Seminaries Don't Change: A Reflection on Faculty Specialization," "Specialization in this case has gone so far that it entails alienation from the field itself." Too much specialization creates suspicion of other disciplines or other worldviews; by its very nature, specialization entails seeing the world or a particular subject through a narrow lens. As a result, too much specialization can lead to closed-mindedness, ignorance, and elitism. Therefore, modern education needs to shift its focus slightly toward creating more generalists — those who can see the big picture and formulate broad theories and paradigms.

The Internet Age and the Paradox of Generalization

According to Michael Hawley, the digital age has enabled a transformation from specialization to generalization, because access to the Internet increases access to knowledge across a wide range of subject areas. By surfing the Web, individuals can expose themselves to a range of ideas they might otherwise have overlooked or that might have escaped their attention. The Internet is thus a Renaissance tool — a doorway into all manifestations of human consciousness. Surfing the web can help us broaden our perspectives and can eliminate the by-products of too much specialization. Any introduction to information outside of our comfort zone or current boundaries is healthy and promotes tolerance.

However, Hawley notes, "Such an intense global mix of cultures, ideas, and innovations, all apparently a mouse click away, would seem to demand broad educational perspectives. Yet most schools persist in turning out laser-focused young professionals." Specialization remains in vogue. For example, many people who come down with a cold head straight for the ear, nose, and throat specialist rather than the general practitioner. As if drawn to compartmentalization, educators continue to encourage specificity and narrowness rather than broad-based knowledge. Students who desire a more generalized education are told they will never succeed in the real world as a jack-of-all-trades. "The irony of our renaissance, though, is that renaissance men and women are in short supply," (Hawley). Even though people are exposed to more ideas than ever before in human history, specialization reigns as the primary means of learning.

The Limits of Specialization and the Value of the Bigger Picture

While specificity can help students delve deeply into a certain topic, too much specificity can blur the bigger picture. A doctor who concentrates on neurology becomes intimately familiar with the human brain, but by neglecting how the stomach operates, might not recognize how certain neurotoxins affect digestion. Specialists can thus become too narrow-minded — too focused on the details of their area of expertise to notice where they and their ideas fit into human society as a whole.

Appreciating the bigger picture is essential in all disciplines. For example, a student of Islam would improve the foundation of his or her understanding of that religion by becoming versed in the religious traditions of other cultures. Broadening one's perspective improves the quality and caliber of dialogue and debate, because general knowledge becomes a common ground for discussion. Moreover, seeing the broader picture through generalization allows for more educated opinions. Without a general education, specialists tend to stick only to what they know or rely on the opinions of other specialists. A generalist can help bridge gaps between disparate areas of expertise and place differing concepts under a collective rubric. Continuing with the former example, a generalist in religious studies can help specialists in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam discover common ground in theology, scripture, ritual, and tradition.

Conclusion: Balancing Depth and Breadth

Some specialization is necessary and natural, for human beings should cultivate their natural inclinations and proclivities. Delving deep into a specific area of study enhances learning; without any specialization, we would know too little about too much. However, generalists can balance out some of the negative tendencies of a society that over-emphasizes specialization. Specialization can create a narrow-minded worldview and cultivate elitism. Too much specialization can also cause an entire discipline to fall behind the times — to become so concerned with minutiae that practitioners fail to appreciate how individual theories can benefit the world at large. Depth of study is essential, but breadth is equally important.