Difference between revisions of "Holism"

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==Origin==
 
==Origin==
 
[[Greek]] ὅλος whole
 
[[Greek]] ὅλος whole
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1926 1926]
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*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1926 1926]
 
==Definitions==
 
==Definitions==
 
*1: a [[theory]] that the [[universe]] and especially living [[nature]] is correctly seen in terms of [[interacting]] wholes (as of living [[organisms]]) that are more than the mere sum of elementary [[particles]]  
 
*1: a [[theory]] that the [[universe]] and especially living [[nature]] is correctly seen in terms of [[interacting]] wholes (as of living [[organisms]]) that are more than the mere sum of elementary [[particles]]  
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'''Holism''' (from ὂλος holos, a Greek word [[meaning]] all, whole, entire, [[total]]), 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 somehow [[function]] as wholes and that their functioning cannot be fully understood solely in terms of their component parts.
 
'''Holism''' (from ὂλος holos, a Greek word [[meaning]] all, whole, entire, [[total]]), 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 somehow [[function]] as wholes and that their functioning cannot be fully understood solely in terms of their component parts.
  
The term ''holism'' was coined in 1926 by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Smuts Jan Smuts]. [[Reductionism]] is sometimes seen 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]].
+
The term ''holism'' was coined in 1926 by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Smuts Jan Smuts]. [[Reductionism]] is sometimes seen 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 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_A._Christakis Nicholas A. Christakis] [[explains]] that "for the last few centuries, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartesian 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."
+
Social scientist and physician [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_A._Christakis Nicholas A. Christakis] [[explains]] that "for the last few centuries, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartesian 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."
  
 
The term holism was coined in 1926 by Jan Smuts, a South African statesman, in his book, ''Holism and Evolution''. Smuts defined holism as "The tendency in [[nature]] to form wholes that are greater than the sum of the parts through [[creative]] [[evolution]]."
 
The term holism was coined in 1926 by Jan Smuts, a South African statesman, in his book, ''Holism and Evolution''. Smuts defined holism as "The tendency in [[nature]] to form wholes that are greater than the sum of the parts through [[creative]] [[evolution]]."
  
The idea has [[ancient]] [[roots]]. Examples of holism can be found throughout human [[history]] and in the most diverse socio-cultural [[contexts]], as has been confirmed by many [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnology ethnological] studies. The French Protestant missionary, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Leenhardt Maurice Leenhardt] coined the term ''cosmomorphism'' to indicate the state of [[perfect]] symbiosis with the surrounding [[environment]] which characterized the culture of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesians Melanesians] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Caledonia New Caledonia]. For these people, an isolated [[individual]] is totally indeterminate, indistinct and featureless until he can find his [[position]] within the natural and social world in which he is inserted. The confines between the [[self]] and the world are annulled to the point that the material [[body]] itself is no guarantee of the sort of [[recognition]] of [[identity]] which is typical of our own [[culture]].
+
The idea has [[ancient]] [[roots]]. Examples of holism can be found throughout human [[history]] and in the most diverse socio-cultural [[contexts]], as has been confirmed by many [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnology ethnological] studies. The French Protestant missionary, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Leenhardt Maurice Leenhardt] coined the term ''cosmomorphism'' to indicate the state of [[perfect]] symbiosis with the surrounding [[environment]] which characterized the culture of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesians Melanesians] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Caledonia New Caledonia]. For these people, an isolated [[individual]] is totally indeterminate, indistinct and featureless until he can find his [[position]] within the natural and social world in which he is inserted. The confines between the [[self]] and the world are annulled to the point that the material [[body]] itself is no guarantee of the sort of [[recognition]] of [[identity]] which is typical of our own [[culture]].
  
However, the concept of holism also played a pivotal role in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinoza Spinoza]'s philosophy and more recently in that of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegel Hegel] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Husserl Husserl].
+
However, the concept of holism also played a pivotal role in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinoza Spinoza]'s philosophy and more recently in that of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegel Hegel] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Husserl Husserl].
  
In the latter half of the 20th century, holism led to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_thinking systems thinking] and its derivatives, like the sciences of [[chaos]] and [[complexity]]. Systems in [[biology]], [[psychology]], or [[sociology]] are frequently so complex that their behavior is, or appears, "new" or "emergent": it cannot be deduced from the properties of the elements alone.
+
In the latter half of the 20th century, holism led to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_thinking systems thinking] and its derivatives, like the sciences of [[chaos]] and [[complexity]]. Systems in [[biology]], [[psychology]], or [[sociology]] are frequently so complex that their behavior is, or appears, "new" or "emergent": it cannot be deduced from the properties of the elements alone.
  
Holism has thus been used as a catchword. This contributed to the resistance encountered by the scientific interpretation of holism, which insists that there are [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontology ontological] reasons that prevent reductive models in [[principle]] from providing efficient [[algorithms]] for [[prediction]] of system behavior in certain classes of systems. Holism has also been described as "a soapy term which evades [[necessary]] [[conflict]]," in accordance with its inventor's philosophy of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_supremacy white supremacy] and exclusion of South Africans from political rights. Although it can also be suggested that a thinker's [[beliefs]] in one area should not be used to dismiss their beliefs in another. For example,Mahatma [[Gandhi]]'s [[racist]] beliefs should not be used to dismiss the value he placed on [[non-violent resistance]].
+
Holism has thus been used as a catchword. This contributed to the resistance encountered by the scientific interpretation of holism, which insists that there are [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontology ontological] reasons that prevent reductive models in [[principle]] from providing efficient [[algorithms]] for [[prediction]] of system behavior in certain classes of systems. Holism has also been described as "a soapy term which evades [[necessary]] [[conflict]]," in accordance with its inventor's philosophy of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_supremacy white supremacy] and exclusion of South Africans from political rights. Although it can also be suggested that a thinker's [[beliefs]] in one area should not be used to dismiss their beliefs in another. For example,Mahatma [[Gandhi]]'s [[racist]] beliefs should not be used to dismiss the value he placed on [[non-violent resistance]].
  
Scientific holism holds that the [[behavior]] of a system cannot be perfectly [[predicted]], no matter how much [[data]] is available. Natural systems can produce [[surprisingly]] unexpected behavior, and it is [[suspected]] that behavior of such systems might be [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_irreducibility computationally irreducible], which means it would not be possible to even approximate the system state without a full [[simulation]] of all the [[events]] occurring in the system. Key properties of the higher level [[behavior]] of certain classes of systems may be mediated by rare "[[surprises]]" in the behavior of their elements due to the principle of [[interconnectivity]], thus evading predictions except by brute [[force]] simulation. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Wolfram Stephen Wolfram] has provided such examples with simple [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_automata cellular automata], whose behavior is in most cases equally simple, but on rare occasions highly unpredictable.
+
Scientific holism holds that the [[behavior]] of a system cannot be perfectly [[predicted]], no matter how much [[data]] is available. Natural systems can produce [[surprisingly]] unexpected behavior, and it is [[suspected]] that behavior of such systems might be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_irreducibility computationally irreducible], which means it would not be possible to even approximate the system state without a full [[simulation]] of all the [[events]] occurring in the system. Key properties of the higher level [[behavior]] of certain classes of systems may be mediated by rare "[[surprises]]" in the behavior of their elements due to the principle of [[interconnectivity]], thus evading predictions except by brute [[force]] simulation. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Wolfram Stephen Wolfram] has provided such examples with simple [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_automata cellular automata], whose behavior is in most cases equally simple, but on rare occasions highly unpredictable.
  
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_systems Complexity theory] (also called "science of [[complexity]]"), is a contemporary heir of systems thinking. It comprises both computational and holistic, relational approaches towards understanding [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_adaptive_systems complex adaptive systems] and, especially in the latter, its [[methods]] can be seen as the polar [[opposite]] to reductive methods. General [[theories]] of complexity have been proposed, and numerous complexity institutes and departments have sprung up around the world. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Fe_Institute Santa Fe Institute] is arguably the most famous of them.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holism]
+
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_systems Complexity theory] (also called "science of [[complexity]]"), is a contemporary heir of systems thinking. It comprises both computational and holistic, relational approaches towards understanding [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_adaptive_systems complex adaptive systems] and, especially in the latter, its [[methods]] can be seen as the polar [[opposite]] to reductive methods. General [[theories]] of complexity have been proposed, and numerous complexity institutes and departments have sprung up around the world. The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Fe_Institute Santa Fe Institute] is arguably the most famous of them.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holism]
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 
*'''''[[116:7 The Living Organism of the Grand Universe|The Living Organism of the Grand Universe]]'''''
 
*'''''[[116:7 The Living Organism of the Grand Universe|The Living Organism of the Grand Universe]]'''''
 
[[Category: Philosophy]]
 
[[Category: Philosophy]]
 
[[Category: Computer Science]]
 
[[Category: Computer Science]]

Latest revision as of 00:17, 13 December 2020

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Origin

Greek ὅλος whole

Definitions

Description

Holism (from ὂλος holos, a Greek word meaning all, whole, entire, total), 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 somehow function as wholes and that their functioning cannot be fully understood solely in terms of their component parts.

The term holism was coined in 1926 by Jan Smuts. Reductionism is sometimes seen 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."

The term holism was coined in 1926 by Jan Smuts, a South African statesman, in his book, Holism and Evolution. Smuts defined holism as "The tendency in nature to form wholes that are greater than the sum of the parts through creative evolution."

The idea has ancient roots. Examples of holism can be found throughout human history and in the most diverse socio-cultural contexts, as has been confirmed by many ethnological studies. The French Protestant missionary, Maurice Leenhardt coined the term cosmomorphism to indicate the state of perfect symbiosis with the surrounding environment which characterized the culture of the Melanesians of New Caledonia. For these people, an isolated individual is totally indeterminate, indistinct and featureless until he can find his position within the natural and social world in which he is inserted. The confines between the self and the world are annulled to the point that the material body itself is no guarantee of the sort of recognition of identity which is typical of our own culture.

However, the concept of holism also played a pivotal role in Spinoza's philosophy and more recently in that of Hegel and Husserl.

In the latter half of the 20th century, holism led to systems thinking and its derivatives, like the sciences of chaos and complexity. Systems in biology, psychology, or sociology are frequently so complex that their behavior is, or appears, "new" or "emergent": it cannot be deduced from the properties of the elements alone.

Holism has thus been used as a catchword. This contributed to the resistance encountered by the scientific interpretation of holism, which insists that there are ontological reasons that prevent reductive models in principle from providing efficient algorithms for prediction of system behavior in certain classes of systems. Holism has also been described as "a soapy term which evades necessary conflict," in accordance with its inventor's philosophy of white supremacy and exclusion of South Africans from political rights. Although it can also be suggested that a thinker's beliefs in one area should not be used to dismiss their beliefs in another. For example,Mahatma Gandhi's racist beliefs should not be used to dismiss the value he placed on non-violent resistance.

Scientific holism holds that the behavior of a system cannot be perfectly predicted, no matter how much data is available. Natural systems can produce surprisingly unexpected behavior, and it is suspected that behavior of such systems might be computationally irreducible, which means it would not be possible to even approximate the system state without a full simulation of all the events occurring in the system. Key properties of the higher level behavior of certain classes of systems may be mediated by rare "surprises" in the behavior of their elements due to the principle of interconnectivity, thus evading predictions except by brute force simulation. Stephen Wolfram has provided such examples with simple cellular automata, whose behavior is in most cases equally simple, but on rare occasions highly unpredictable.

Complexity theory (also called "science of complexity"), is a contemporary heir of systems thinking. It comprises both computational and holistic, relational approaches towards understanding complex adaptive systems and, especially in the latter, its methods can be seen as the polar opposite to reductive methods. General theories of complexity have been proposed, and numerous complexity institutes and departments have sprung up around the world. The Santa Fe Institute is arguably the most famous of them.[1]

See also