Alkis Gounaris

Postdoctoral research conducted between 2022 and 2025 at the PPE Lab of the Department of Philosophy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), investigated the role of philosophy in interdisciplinary research, particularly in identifying, analysing, and overcoming epistemological, conceptual, and meaning-related divergences among researchers from different scientific disciplines collaborating on joint research projects.
The main body of research material encompasses the development of interdisciplinary research, the role of philosophy in interdisciplinary knowledge integration, and the analysis of epistemological, methodological, and meaning-related issues. This analysis provides a roadmap for guiding researchers from different fields of knowledge towards more effective collaboration.
More specifically, traditional models of interdisciplinary knowledge integration were comparatively examined, revealing that they do not sufficiently address the underlying assumptions of the collaborating disciplines. The central hypothesis of this research is that the problem of knowledge integration is not primarily communicative, as it is often treated in existing models, but fundamentally epistemological. Consequently, addressing this problem requires the contribution of the philosophy of science and the application of appropriate philosophical tools.
To investigate this hypothesis, a three-stage model of epistemic convergence was designed, accompanied by corresponding digital philosophical tools developed or proposed for each stage.
The first tool, the Epistemological Profile Radar (EPR), maps the epistemological profile of each member of an interdisciplinary research team based on their initial beliefs and assumptions. It generates a diagram that highlights both the differences in epistemological stances among team members and their deviations from the Epistemic Virtue Index (EVI). This index was introduced to define a range within which initial epistemological assumptions are considered conducive to interdisciplinary collaboration.
The second tool, AiPi (Artificial Intelligence Principal Investigator), is a specialised AI agent. In its initial phase, it analyses EPR results and explains to users the strengths, weaknesses, and areas that require particular attention in interdisciplinary collaboration. At a subsequent stage, it is intended to function as an assistant to the Principal Investigator, offering extended support capabilities throughout the research project.
The third tool involves the creation of a dynamic conceptual map, an ontology tailored to each type of interdisciplinary collaboration. This map is intended to provide a shared basis for bridging conceptual differences and to operate iteratively and progressively, drawing on knowledge acquired through previous research collaborations to facilitate future ones.
These tools, together with the foundational hypothesis concerning the role of philosophy in interdisciplinary collaboration, are proposed as a basis for further empirical testing, evaluation, and development.
The video presentation below summarises the postdoctoral research, the proposed three-stage model, and the individual philosophical tools.

Public Presentation Video, 2025

Watch the video in Greek: