1 FOURTH LESSON

PRE-TEST Approaches in Doing Philosophy

1. It is the belief that human behaviour can Reductionist and Holistic
be explained by breaking it down into Let's now proceed with the other two
simpler component parts? approaches in philosophy: REDUCTIONIST and
HOLISTIC!
A. Analytic
B. Speculative REAL TALK:
C. Reductionist • Reductionism is the belief that human
D. Holistic behavior can be explained by breaking it
2. What is the difference between down into simpler component parts.
reductionist and holistic approach? • Holism is a theory that parts of a whole are
A. Focus in intimate interconnection, such that they
B. Topic cannot exist independently of the whole, or
C. Tools cannot be understood without reference to
D. Action the whole, which is thus regarded as greater
than the sum of its parts
You sent
The figure above is called gunpla, a short term
3. What is the meaning of the Greek word for Gundam plastic model.
Holos?
• Figure 1 shows a part by part
A. Hallway disassembled gunpla
B. Holiday • figure 2 is a whole fix toy model.
C. Whole  In simple words, these can be used as
D. Wonder model on how reductionist and
4. The focus of the holistic approach in holistic approach work.
philosophy is -  Reductionist in a sense that the parts
are important to create a full
A. Time assembled toy model; it is so
B. Wholeness important that you need to know
C. Parts every single detail of each parts to
D. Space understand the whole.
5. A philosopher that introduced  Holistic in a sense that what matters
reductionism in the modern times most is the significance of the
wholeness of this gunpla, yet it can
A. John Locke only be understood as a whole if we
B. Immanuel Kant look closer to its parts.
C. René Descartes
D. Charles Darwin
2 FOURTH LESSON

Let's analyze your "face" • while the truth of the matter in using the
holistic approach is the wholeness of "being";
But not Aristotle's face, we are just going to
understanding a certain subject as a whole,
have a figure to look at so we can explain
reconnecting each part to convey the
visually your activity (we will mention
ultimate truth.
Aristotle later).
A face is compose of two eyes, one nose, a • Reductionism was first introduced by René
pair of ears, a mouth with a set of teeth and Descartes, the father of modern philosophy.
one tongue, cheeks, forehead, hair and heil • According to Vinzons, "he likened the world
chair. to a machine with pieces working like a
Each part has its own unique function. clockwork mechanism."
Each part is used every single day. • Descartes would like us to understand that
the machine can only be understood if we
• Your answers may vary with someone else's
take its pieces apart and examine each before
thoughts, simply because your face is
putting it back together to comprehend the
different from others.
bigger picture
• You are unique. You may say that your eyes
• From the word itself, "reduce" - breaking
are the most used every day because your
down the pieces, reducing all that is in it, to
eyes start its duty as you wake up in the
fully realize the truth of the matter.
morning.
• After all, the machine will not work without
• You may say that your mouth has the most
the pieces within it - it will not function as a
important function because without a mouth,
whole, part by part is essential.
it would be difficult for you to eat or be
nourished. Holism is the "idea that something can be
• You may say that each part is connected more than the sum of its parts." Meaning to
with others; example, you cannot enjoy the say, we shall understand everything, all in
movie with hearing the sound; reality, all that is comprehensible, as a
• You cannot enjoy your food with being WHOLE. Just like its origin - holos
mesmerized by just looking at it; you cannot
• a Greek word which means 'all', 'total', or
enjoy a song if you cannot sing it.
'whole'.
According to Willy Ostreng in his article
This approach in philosophy was summed up
entitled Reductionism versus Holism, the
by Aristotle in his Metaphysics. He had been
difference between these two ideologies is
using this holistic approach and it wasn't
their focus - the truth of the matter.
popularized not until 1926 that the term
• The former (Reductionism) focuses on the "holism" was presented by Jan Smuts.
properties of each part while the latter's
This approach is indeed contrasted from
(Holism) emphasis is on the relationship
reductionism.
between them.
• The truth of the matter in using a
reductionist approach is all about the
function of the parts of the whole - we lean
towards the details of a whole -
3 FOURTH LESSON

According to Vinzons, "the fundamental • How are we going to use reductionism and
assumption underpinning the holistic holism?
perspective is that the properties of the parts
Let us be reminded by a Latin Maxim -
contribute to the understanding of the
"Minima Maxima Sunt" which literally means
whole."
the smallest things are most important.
• The relevance of the wholeness of being is
• We have to look into the smallest details of
defined by the parts of it - meaning, there is
our lives.
indeed interconnectedness among the parts
Example: Best example to understand
of the subject matter to convey the
reductionist approach is
wholeness of reality.
• when we faithfully stick with our favorite
• But take note, this is the counterpart of
chicken-pork adobo. There are various recipes
reductionism, therefore the totality of being
that can be used to prepare our favorite dish.
is important and it refuses to divide the parts
And when we come across an unusual adobo,
apart from the wholeness of being.
we tend to reduce it with the prejudices we
Let us be reminded that we are in preparation already have; like saying, "oh parang kulang
to understand the philosophy of the human sa paminta", "aww bakit parang sobra sa
person. One thing that we need to consider is suka?" "uy masarap kung may laurel 'to" etc.
that a human person cannot be understood in
• Before saying that it is the best adobo, we
one factor or one side of the story.
tend to look first into its parts as an adobo.
• We will create prejudices if we do so. • We tend to look first into its parts as an
Therefore, just like what is mandated by the adobo. Of course this example is too shallow,
curriculum guide, we are going to use the let's try to be philosophical!
holistic approach in doing philosophy. • At school, we tend to take for granted the
• But it doesn't mean that we are going to importance of daily attendance. We thought
neglect or set aside the other approaches that that one single absence from school would
we learned. not take any effect in our lives. One's
• Just like what reductionism is telling us; presence is always important most especially
each approach in philosophy is relevant and when you belong to a particular class section
can be used to philosophize - we can always • Your class would be incomplete without
be analytic in every manner as we seek your presence - this principle could be
knowledge; applicable to all aspects; at home, in our
• we can also be speculative at thoughts community, in social media, etc.
being perceived; and we are capable now to
How about the holistic approach?
reduce a certain topic into its parts for us to
comprehend. • We look into the wholeness of the person,
• Finally, we look at the bigger picture of all not just in one piece of his/her being.
things intelligible - the wholeness as one, • Holism helps us to take away our prejudices
interconnected with all around - in such a way that we focus on the
wholeness, not by part.
4 FOURTH LESSON

Example, we will not discuss EDSA revolution 2. What is the meaning of the Greek word
as our sole jumping board towards the Holos?
concept of freedom. It will definitely create A. Hallway
biases if we do. B. Holiday
• When we practice a holistic perspective, we C. Whole
can deliberate ideas philosophically because D. Wonder
being holistic is congruent with being open-
3. The focus of the holistic approach in
minded to all possible realities.
philosophy is -
LET'S REPLAY!
A. Time
• The remaining two approaches in B. Wholeness
philosophizing are Reductionism and Holism C. Parts
• Reductionism is the belief that human D. Space
behavior can be explained by breaking it
4. What is the most important point of
down into simpler component parts.
holistic approach?
• Holism is a theory that parts of a whole are
in intimate interconnection, such that they A. Priority of the wholeness of being over its
cannot exist independently of the whole, or parts
cannot be understood without reference to B. Relevance of the parts to understand the
the whole, which is thus regarded as greater whole
than the sum of its parts. C. Realities of grammar and language
• The difference between these two D. Speculations and pure opinions
ideologies is their focus - the truth of the
5. A philosopher that introduced
matter. The former focuses on the properties
reductionism in the modern times
of each part while the latter's emphasis is on
the relationship between them. A. John Locke
• As we philosophize, we shall use all the C. René Descartes
approaches but we take Holism as our ground B. Immanuel Kant
to understand the philosophy of the human D. Charles Darwin
person.
• Let us not forget the Latin Maxim - "Minima 6. Minima maxima sunt means -
Maxima Sunt" A. The smallest things are the most important
B. The minimum wage is the maximum we
ANSWER
can get
1. It is the belief that human behavior can be C. The small efforts are the greatest
explained by breaking it down into simpler D. The minimum standard of man is the
component parts. maximum for humanity
A. Analytic
B. Speculative
C. Reductionist
D. Holistic
5 FOURTH LESSON

7. A philosopher that introduced holism in

metaphysics

A. Plato
B. Socrates
C. Thales
D. Aristotle

8. The focus of the reductionist approach in

philosophy is -

A. Time
B. Wholeness
C. Parts
D. Space

9. What is the most important point of

reductionist approach?

A. Priority of the wholeness of being over its

parts
B. Relevance of the parts to understand the
whole
C. Realities of grammar and language
D. Speculations and pure opinions

10. What is the difference between

reductionist and holistic approach?

A. Focus
B. Topic
C. Tools
D. Action