Question

What ideas challenged or didn't support biological reductionism?

Answer 1

Biological reductionism

This approach explains all of the cultural as well as social phenomenon in the form of biology. This theory denies the existence of causal autonomy. The theory of biological reductionism is based on the theories of evolution by Darwin and the principles of natural selection. Reductionism could explain many theories such as molecular as well as cellular processes. Though, with progression of time, the shortcomings of the reductionist theory has come up. Some people argue that not every process can be explained in terms of molecular as well as genetic processes. Rather, it is being emphasised that biological systems should be taken as complex systems in which there is integration of more than one component which would interact at different levels and is then organised to form a whole complex.

Hence, in order to explain the complexity of various systems, the complexity theory has come into existence, where self organisation, emergence and complex causality has been explained. Also, the theories such as holistic and emergentism, which says that “the whole is more than the sum of its parts” by Aristotle.