Holism
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- | :''For the suffix, see [[wiktionary:-holism|holism]].'' | + | |
- | '''Holism''' is the idea that natural [[system]]s (physical, biological, chemical, social, economic, mental, [[Linguistics|linguistic]], etc.) and their properties should be viewed as wholes, not as collections of parts. This often includes the view that systems function as wholes and that their functioning cannot be fully understood solely in terms of their component parts. The term ''holism'' is derived from [[Ancient Greek]] ''holos'' {{lang|grc|ὅλος}}, meaning "all, whole, entire, total." | + | '''Holism''' is the idea that natural [[system]]s (physical, biological, chemical, social, economic, mental, [[Linguistics|linguistic]], etc.) and their properties should be viewed as wholes, not as collections of parts. This often includes the view that systems function as wholes and that their functioning cannot be fully understood solely in terms of their component parts. The term ''holism'' is derived from [[Ancient Greek]] ''holos'' ''[[ὅλος]]'', meaning "all, whole, entire, total." |
[[Reductionism]] is often viewed as the opposite of holism. Reductionism in science says that a complex system can be explained by ''reduction'' to its fundamental parts. For example, the processes of biology are reducible to chemistry and the laws of chemistry are explained by physics. | [[Reductionism]] is often viewed as the opposite of holism. Reductionism in science says that a complex system can be explained by ''reduction'' to its fundamental parts. For example, the processes of biology are reducible to chemistry and the laws of chemistry are explained by physics. |
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Holism is the idea that natural systems (physical, biological, chemical, social, economic, mental, linguistic, etc.) and their properties should be viewed as wholes, not as collections of parts. This often includes the view that systems function as wholes and that their functioning cannot be fully understood solely in terms of their component parts. The term holism is derived from Ancient Greek holos ὅλος, meaning "all, whole, entire, total."
Reductionism is often viewed as the opposite of holism. Reductionism in science says that a complex system can be explained by reduction to its fundamental parts. For example, the processes of biology are reducible to chemistry and the laws of chemistry are explained by physics.
Social scientist and physician Nicholas A. Christakis explains that "for the last few centuries, the Cartesian project in science has been to break matter down into ever smaller bits, in the pursuit of understanding. And this works, to some extent... but putting things back together in order to understand them is harder, and typically comes later in the development of a scientist or in the development of science."
See also
- Antiscience
- Determinism
- Emergentism
- Gaia hypothesis
- Gross National Happiness
- Holarchy
- Holism in ecological anthropology
- Holistic modeling language
- Holon (philosophy)
- Janus
- Logical holism
- Organicism
- Organic wholes
- Organismic theory
- Panarchy
- Polytely
- Synergetics
- Synergy
- Systems theory
- Writers: