Holism: Some Historical Aspects

  • Silvana Procacci
Chapter

Abstract

A favourite thesis of the holistic and organismic biology is that the parts of organic wholes exhibit patterns of behaviour that do not show and are not predictable outside these wholes. The main task of holistic and organicistic movement is to defend the autonomy of biological science in comparison with the sciences of the inorganic phenomena. The second meaning of Holism is therefore to isolate a sense in which we can demonstrate a causal power of the whole on to the parts. Another important point is the active role of the organism in the adaptive process. Through the analysis of the conception of one of the pioneers of holistic doctrine, J.C. Smuts, we can understand the importance of Holism for the history of biology.

Keywords

Causal Power Human Personality Historical Aspect General System Theory Organismic Biology 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. [1]
    Alexander S., Space, Time and Deity, Macmillan Co. Limited, London 1920.Google Scholar
  2. [2]
    Bertalanffy L. Von, Problems of Life, New York 1952.Google Scholar
  3. [3]
    Bertalanffy L. Von, General System Theory, George Braziller, New York 1969.Google Scholar
  4. [4]
    Broad C.D., The Mind and its Place in Nature, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London 1925.Google Scholar
  5. [5]
    Continenza B., Gagliasso E., Giochi aperti in biologia,Franco Angeli, Milano.Google Scholar
  6. [6]
    Davies P., The New Physics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1989.Google Scholar
  7. [7]
    Durren B., Entwicklungsbiologie und Ganzheit,Verlag von C.B. Teubner, Leipzig un Berlin.Google Scholar
  8. [8]
    Goodwin B.C., Webster G.C., Il problema della forma in biologia,Roma 1988; tr. it. Armando.Google Scholar
  9. [9]
    Haldane J.S., Mechanism, Life and Personality. An Examination of the Mechanistic Theory of Life and Mind, 2nd ed., Hodder & Stoughton, London 1923.Google Scholar
  10. [10]
    Haraway D.J., Crystals, Fabrics and Fields. Metaphors of Organicism in Twentieth-Century Developmental Biology, Yale University Press, New Haven 1976.Google Scholar
  11. [11]
    Haraway D.J., General System Theory, George Braziller, New York 1969.Google Scholar
  12. [12]
    Morgan C. Lloyd, Emergent Evolution, Williams Norgate, London 1923.Google Scholar
  13. [13]
    Morgan C. Lloyd, Review of Holism and Evolution, Journal of Philosophical Studies 2 (5) (1927), 93–99.Google Scholar
  14. [14]
    Procacci S., Alle radici dell’olismo. La filosofia della natura in J.C. Smuts, ESI, Napoli 2001.Google Scholar
  15. [15]
    Ritter W.E., The Unity of the Organism or the Organismal Conception of Life, R.G. Badger, Boston 1919.Google Scholar
  16. [16]
    Ritterbush P., The Art of Organic Forms, Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington 1968.Google Scholar
  17. [17]
    Russell E.S., Form and function. A Contribution to the History of Animal Morphology, John Murray, London 1916.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. [18]
    Sarà M., The Problem of Adaptations: An Holistic Approach,Rivista di Biologia 82 (1) (1989), 75–101.Google Scholar
  19. [19]
    Smuts J.C., Holism and Evolution, Greenwood Press Publishers, Westport, Connecticut 1973.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2003

Authors and Affiliations

  • Silvana Procacci
    • 1
  1. 1.Dipartimento di Scienze filosoficheUniversità degli Studi di PerugiaPerugiaItaly

Personalised recommendations