Reductionism Vs Holism

Holism vs. Reductionism
The concept of holism has various applications and connotations. The significant assumption underpinning the approach of holism is that the characteristics of a system are understandable only through examining the system as a whole. Holism focuses on the association between various components, their interactions, interdependencies and interconnectedness. The holistic approach considers that the whole of a system is greater than or different from its individual parts. In other words, holism examines the relationship between different components of a system as a whole rather than the properties of individual components. Holistic principles and mechanisms form the preliminaries of technology. Holism plays a significant …show more content…
Reductionism entails a broader judgment of the end product and allows understanding the proximal cause of any problem. It is possible to understand complex technological systems by understanding its individual components. Reductionism helps in simplifying complex technological systems so that one could understand the systems from their core. Furthermore, reductionism is the primary basis for technocentrism. Inter-level reductionism plays a significant role in the field of technology and helps in localizing and identifying the underlying technological mechanisms and explaining the upper-level phenomena. In the broadest sense, reductionism refers to the commitment of unifactorial explanation of a definite range of …show more content…
In order to understand system dynamics of any complex system, both holism and reductionism are equally necessary. The adoption of a reductionist approach in understanding a system is crucial for determining the behavior of the system as a whole. The logical notion that holism and reductionism are inseparable brings success to any complex system in the field of technology. Both holism and reductionism are significant for deriving valuable data and insights of any information technology system. However, it is not possible to break down a complex system into separate components in every case. There are various limitations to holism as well as reductionism. Hence, it is evident from the discussion that the two approaches of holism and reductionism are distinct lenses through which technologists might view the