This document discusses the debate between reductionism and holism. Reductionism takes the view that a complex system is nothing more than the sum of its parts, while holism argues that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and possesses characteristics that emerge from the organization and interaction of the parts. The document provides examples of attempting to apply reductionism to fields like economics, psychology, biology and physics. It notes that while reductionism breaks things down into their constituent parts, holism recognizes that organization plays a role and the whole possesses properties not found by analyzing only the parts. In the end, it questions how we can resolve the tension between these two perspectives.

1. Reductionism vs.
Holism

2. Does a group have a “character” that is
different from the individuals that make it
up?
A football team may consist of eleven
great players and yet do badly in a league.
How?

3. Reductionism
reduces complex phenomena to the interactions of their parts

4. Reductionism
reduces complex phenomena to the interactions of their parts
a complex system is nothing but the sum of its parts

5. Reductionism
reduces complex phenomena to the interactions of their parts
a complex system is nothing but the sum of its parts
Newtonian, linear

6. thermodynamics=mechanics
heat=motion of molecules

7. consider applying reductionism to the Human Sciences
Economics

8. consider applying reductionism to the Human Sciences
Economics
Psychology

9. consider applying reductionism to the Human Sciences
Economics
Psychology
Biology

10. consider applying reductionism to the Human Sciences
Economics
Psychology
Biology
Physics

11. reductive fallacies

16. the whole is
“more than” the sum of
its parts

17. the whole is
“more than” the sum of
its parts
organization

18. What about
the human
body?

19. Is the sum of the parts equal to the whole?
Or does the “whole” have characteristics that are “more
than” the sum?

20. Is the sum of the parts equal to the whole?
Or does the “whole” have characteristics that are “more
than” the sum?

21. a few words from John Cleese:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M-vnmejwXo

22. Holism
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
The whole contains properties that cannot be
discovered through the analysis of parts

23. “HOLISM is … simply the belief that ‘the whole is
greater than the sum of its parts’. No one in his
right mind could reject holism.
“REDUCTIONISM is … simply the belief that ‘a
whole can be understood completely if you
understand its parts, and the nature of their “sum”’.
No one in her left brain could reject
reductionism.” (Hofstadter 1980: 312)

25. how do we resolve this?

26. how do we resolve this?

27. Verstehen Position
“the main aim of the human sciences is to understand the
meaning of various social practices from the inside as they
are understood by the subjects themselves.”

29. meanings and purposes vs. causes and effects

30. meanings and purposes vs. causes and effects
describe and understand vs. explain and predict

31. describe and understand vs. explain and predict

32. meaning vs. mechanism

35. please read “Predictions” p.279-280

36. and complete the chart