Knyazeva, E. N. Atomism and Holism in Modern Complexity Theory

Abstract: Atomism and holism are viewed as the two opposing but at the same time completing each other approaches in the modern theory of complex self-organizing systems (this theory is also called the ‘complexity theory’). Atomism is related to complex world structures and their fractal organization which bring us to elementary and further indivisible structural fragments that lie in the basis of complex space-and-time structures. Atomism refers to studying levels of existence and elements, parts and subsystems. At the same time, it is shown that the entire complexity theory is filled with holism and this holism often has an evolutionary nature. In evolution of complex self-organizing systems holism is associated with the appearance of emergence features of holistic structures and discreteness defined by a set of structures – evolution attractors. Modern atomism also refers to so called perception frames in cognitive science. Based on the system and evolutionary approach, the author offers certain arguments proving the hypothesis about the appearance of alphabetic writing and the teaching about atoms in physical nature (as introduced by A. Kozyrev and V. Lysenko).

Keywords: