holism

ho·lism  (hlzm)

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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holist n.

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holism

Noun

1. the view that a whole is greater than the sum of its parts

2. (in medicine) consideration of the complete person in the treatment of disease [Greek holos whole]

holistic adj

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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

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"