AUTHOR COPY - Trent University
AUTHOR COPY - Trent University
AUTHOR COPY - Trent University
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Conceptualizing holism in international interdisciplinary critical perspective<br />
The New Physics<br />
Connected to systems science, some physicists also make connections between<br />
their work and holistic thought-forms. Notable physicists such as David Bohm<br />
and Fritjof Capra emphasize the similarities between their theories of the indistinguishability<br />
of field and force and mind and matter, with the spiritual traditions<br />
of Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism and Taoism. Over the past 2000<br />
years or more, Buddhists have developed sophisticated philosophical, phenomenological<br />
and epistemological ideas, and they have found a very practical<br />
way to apply them (Lopez, 2008). Some Western scientists, such as those who<br />
study the mind, have been profoundly influenced by Buddhist thought and<br />
have worked to establish empirical correlations between Buddhist practice and<br />
scientific work (Lopez, 2008; Weaver et al, 2008). Western tradition has avoided<br />
the idea of a selfless self, of a virtual self. This egolessness, or selflessness, is at<br />
the very core of Buddhism.<br />
Capra (2002) also extends the framework of systems and complexity theory to<br />
the social domain, akin to the foundational principles of holism. He uses this extended<br />
framework to discuss some of the critical issues of our time – the management<br />
of human organizations, the challenges and dangers of economic globalization,<br />
the scientific and ethical problems of biotechnology, and the establishment of ecologically<br />
sustainable communities and technologies (Capra, 2002).<br />
Bohm conceptualizes an implicate order to the universe composed of frequencies<br />
beyond time and space that has been hidden from people. His paradigm is<br />
a form of ontological holism. In this conception of order, primacy is given to the<br />
undivided whole, and the implicate order inherent within the whole, rather than<br />
to parts of the whole (Healey, 2009).<br />
These scientists emphasize in their work the same notions as holism; the<br />
whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The natural world interacts synergistically.<br />
It is thus not possible to fully understand systems by knowing the<br />
properties of their individual components – although it is useful to study individual<br />
components. Indeed, as stated by Capra,‘the basic oneness of the universe<br />
is not only the central characteristic of the mystical experience but it is also<br />
one of the most important revelations of modern physics. It becomes apparent<br />
at the atomic level and manifests itself more and more as one penetrates deeper<br />
into matter, down into the realm of subatomic particles’ (Gaan, 2005, p. 324).<br />
The observer of a scientific experiment, according to quantum theory, can<br />
change the outcome of an experiment, simply by observing, for the observer<br />
puts energy into the system and this energy has an impact on that, which is<br />
being observed. Just as Buddhist and Hindu philosophy stress, the observer<br />
and observed are seen as connected, as are mind and matter, field and force.<br />
As Gary Zukav explains, quantum theory sees everything in the universe as<br />
<strong>AUTHOR</strong> <strong>COPY</strong><br />
r 2011 Macmillan Publishers Ltd. 1477-8211 Social Theory & Health Vol. 9, 3, 244–255<br />
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