noun
- people who believe that complex phenomena can be explained by analyzing their simpler or more fundamental parts
Usage: philosophy; science
Examples
- The reductionists argued that consciousness could be explained through brain chemistry.
- Many reductionists believe that all biological processes can be understood through physics and chemistry.
- Critics say reductionists oversimplify complex social problems.
- The debate between reductionists and holists continues in psychology.
- Some reductionists claim that human behavior is merely the result of genetic programming.
- Environmental scientists who are reductionists focus on individual chemical reactions rather than ecosystem interactions.