Holism vs. Reductionism

 Abstract

            Holism/reductionism is a controversial debate from which questions about the nature of explanation develop. Such questions seem difficult and abstract at first sight. However, in essence, the two distinct positions in the debate can get summed up in few single phrases. In the case of reductionism, the simple gives rise to the complicated phenomenon such as human behavior. One needs to split the complex phenomenon into simpler constituent elements. Reducing such complex phenomena is the only way through which it will get understood.

 On the other hand is the holism. Holism advocates the importance of the whole than the constituent elements. In the case of human behavior, it has its properties that cannot get explicated on the basis of elemental properties from which it gets obtained.

 Holism

            Holism is a reference to any approach whose emphasis is more on the whole than their constituent elements. Holism can get put in other words to mean that the whole is greater and more important than the sum of its constituent building blocks. Qualitative methods that employ humanistic approach are a reflection of holistic position. Furthermore, social psychology uses holism (Raman, 1995)

            Holism is the same as system thinking. What can get obtained from the definition is holism is a belief that systems cannot get split into constituent elements. It explains the systems by consideration of the whole rather than the constituent elements. It comprises evaluation of the whole behavior of an individual, the whole group, the whole event, or the whole system. Holism assesses the person in totality more than evaluation of their parts such as limbs, brains, and other internal systems. The philosophical phenomenon emphasizes the importance of examining the whole structure since it incorporates every element. Its basis of the argument is on the fact that the whole is greater than its building blocks.

            There is a historical example of holism that states an isolated person is fully indeterminate and featureless until such a person can position himself within the natural and social class in which he got inserted. A practical and physical example is a computer system. A computer system is a total of its constituent elements such as the monitor, the central processing unit, and other hardware peripherals. Such a system cannot function without all those components. All the basic parts must come together and help to process documents. It will have no purpose if any of the components is forfeited. It is worth noting that a system cannot get understood well if it does not get approached holistically.

            In the event that one is studying components functioning of the system, it is critical to examine the complete organization of the system and system wholeness. There is a revelation in the natural set of a system if the analysis is more on the building blocks than the aggregate system. Studying a system holistically gives a more exhaustive view of the conduct and the experience than reductionism would have given. The holistic approach holds that higher levels of a system do not presume the complications of the behavior. Therefore, the approach explores to consolidate the different components thereby understanding the whole system. Holism gives suggestions of the existence of various explanations levels where each level houses emergent features that cannot reduce a system to the one below it.

            Holism is a concept that has existed for many decades. It is being applied in almost all the major fields that impact on human life such as social sciences and qualitative purposes. Where holism is used to evaluate a case study, the case becomes case orientation. A holistic approach is beneficial in providing an all-involving view while basing it on the nature, knowledge, properties, functions, and relationships of the elements of the whole. Additionally, it provides an indispensable view that gives considerable more entireties compared to other alternatives.

Reductionism

            The reduction is a complete opposite of holism. The approach believes that human behavior and other natural systems are well explained by dividing them into smaller elementary components. Therefore, human behavior can easily get understood by looking keenly at the single parts that make their systems. Reductionism uses the scientific presumption of parsimony. Parsimony is a conviction that complicated developments should draw their explanation from the most elementary underlying principles possible. Proponents of reductionism are convinced that mental processes and human behaviors should get explained on the ground of basic sciences such as physiology and chemistry. Proponents continue to say that approaching a system through reductionism helps to reduce the stress that comes with it because each will get looked at differently. The levels that exist in the reductionism approach employ different methodologies in evaluating systems and behaviors. However, the levels and methodologies are not necessary when such systems and behaviors get assessed individually. The approach is limited to distantly separate constituent elements. Therefore, the strategy is bound to fail when the parts get closely related. Reductionism considers closely related systems as a whole. It is a piece of knowledge that the strategy focuses primarily on the individual parts. The approach is disadvantageous because it is tiring to reconstruct a system whose parts have gotten segregated. Additionally, analyzing an issue in parts is complicated. It is also difficult to reconstruct a system into its initial state where the tasks are independent of each other. It may lead to distortion of the whole system (Ostreng, W.)

            Implementation of reduction is a risky affair when dealing with systems if the reductionism knowledge and understanding are inadequate. Implementation of the strategy where one has little understanding may have negative effects on time and cost. Greater emphasize should focus on understanding the connection between elements than features of each part. Despite that fact, reductionism holds that analysis of a system through its parts unearth other hidden levels. There is a perception that through reduction, it is easier to understand functioning of the hidden worlds. Furthermore, we will have unique knowledge in terms of the building blocks of a system and the forces that holds it together (Coveney & Highfield, 1995)

            Reductionism states that a complicated structure cannot exist without the total sum of its elementary parts. What it, therefore, notes is that such a system is nothing if it does not get evaluated in terms of its individual parts. Furthermore, the system accounts are closely linked to the accounts of its individual parts. It gets noted that any natural or physical existence is made up of tiny substances. The substances behave differently and can get compared to atomic knowledge. Simplified complex systems into constituent parts can easily get analyzed thereby realizing hidden problems and discovering new knowledge about the system.

Differences between holism and reductionism

            Holism approaches evaluation and understanding of complicated systems holistically. Reductionism is an exact opposite of holism. It breaks a system into simpler parts to understand it better. Holism helps to understand the wholeness of a system whose features are different from the constituent parts (McLeod, 2008)

            Reductionism studies the whole system in terms of its constituent elements. It, therefore, helps to understand features of the elements. Reductionism fails in determining the underlying principles of the whole system. It is worth noting that the features of a system are different from the features of its constituent elements. On the other hand, holism notes that a system can get explained well where there is enough information about it.

            An issue of holism is that it does not provide the knowledge through which complicated systems can get understood. It is the complete opposite of the reductionism. The evaluation of a system through its individual parts helps to understand the complications of a system or behavior.

            Reductionism addresses almost every issue about a system through splitting it into parts. Therefore, it answers all the potential questions that may arise after the examination. Holism does not dig deeper to reveal hidden knowledge about systems and behaviors leaving many questions unanswered (Wilbur, 2000).

 References

Coveney, P., & Highfield, R. (1995). Frontiers of Complexity: The Scientist's Search for Order in a             Chaotic World. New York: Fawcet Columbine.

McLeod, S. A. (2008). Reductionism and Holism. 

Ostreng, W. (n.d.). The Gribbin Syndrome and Entities of Knowledge Integration. Centre for Advanced  Study .

Raman, V. (1995). Reductionism and Holism: Two Sides of the Perceptions of Reality. 

Wilbur, K. (2000). A Theory of Everything: An Integrated Vision for Business, Politics, Science, and            Spirituality. Boston: Shambahala.

Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at MeldaResearch.Com in graduate paper writing service if you need a similar paper you can place your order from custom research paper writing service.