organicism

or·gan·i·cism  (ôr-gn-szm)

n.

1. The concept that society or the universe is analogous to a biological organism, as in development or organization.

2. The doctrine that the total organization of an organism, rather than the functioning of individual organs, is the principal or exclusive determinant of every life process.

3. Pathology The theory that all disease is associated with structural alterations of organs.

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or·gani·cist n.

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organicism

1. the theory that all symptoms are due to organic disease.
2. the theory that each of the organs of the body has its own special constitution. — organicist, n. — organicistic, adj.

See also: Medical Specialties

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the theory that vital activities stem not from any single part of an organism but from its autonomous composition. Cf. holism, mechanism, vitalism. — organicist, n. — organicistic, adj.

See also: Philosophy

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

organicism - theory that the total organization of an organism rather than the functioning of individual organs is the determinant of life processes scientific theory - a theory that explains scientific observations; "scientific theories must be falsifiable" holism, holistic theory - 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"