1. Plural of holism; the philosophical or scientific view that a whole system or entity is more than the sum of its individual parts and must be understood as an integrated whole.
Usage: academic; philosophy; science

Examples

• Different holisms in biology emphasize the importance of studying organisms in their complete ecological context.
• The debate between reductionism and holisms continues to shape modern scientific methodology.
• Several holisms emerged in 20th-century philosophy, each proposing that parts cannot be fully understood in isolation.
• Environmental scientists often adopt holisms that consider entire ecosystems rather than individual species alone.
• The competing holisms presented in the conference highlighted diverse approaches to systems thinking.