holism

ho·lism

 (hō′lĭz′əm)

n.

1. The theory that living matter or reality is made up of organic or unified wholes that are greater than the simple sum of their parts.

2. A holistic investigation or system of treatment.

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ho′list n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

holism

(ˈhəʊlɪzəm)

n

1. (Philosophy) any doctrine that a system may have properties over and above those of its parts and their organization

2. (Medicine) the treatment of any subject as a whole integrated system, esp, in medicine, the consideration of the complete person, physically and psychologically, in the treatment of a disease. See also alternative medicine

3. (Philosophy) philosophy one of a number of methodological theses holding that the significance of the parts can only be understood in terms of their contribution to the significance of the whole and that the latter must therefore be epistemologically prior. Compare reductionism, atomism²

[C20: from holo- + -ism]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ho•lism

(ˈhoʊ lɪz əm)

n.

1. the theory that whole entities have an existence other than as the mere sum of their parts.

2. an approach to healing or health care, often involving therapies outside the mainstream of medicine, in which isolated symptoms or conditions are considered secondary to one's total physical and psychological state.

[< Greek hól(os) whole + -ism]

ho′list, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

holism

the theory that whole entities, as fundamental components of reality, have an existence other than as the mere sum of their parts. Cf. organicism. — holist, n. — holistic, adj.

See also: Philosophy

-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

holism - the theory that the parts of any whole cannot exist and cannot be understood except in their relation to the whole; "holism holds that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts"; "holistic theory has been applied to ecology and language and mental states" holistic theory theory - a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena; "theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses"; "true in fact and theory" organicism - theory that the total organization of an organism rather than the functioning of individual organs is the determinant of life processes configurationism, Gestalt psychology - (psychology) a theory of psychology that emphasizes the importance of configurational properties atomist theory, atomistic theory, atomic theory, atomism - (chemistry) any theory in which all matter is composed of tiny discrete finite indivisible indestructible particles; "the ancient Greek philosophers Democritus and Epicurus held atomic theories of the universe"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Translations

holismo

olismo

holismo

holism

[ˈhəʊlɪz^əm] n → holisme m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

holism

n → Holismus m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

holism

n holismo

English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.