This paper aims to provide a fresh historical perspective on the debates on vitalism and holism in Germany by analyzing the work of the zoologist Hans Spemann (1869-1941) in the interwar period. Following up previous historical studies, it takes the controversial question about Spemann's affinity to vitalistic approaches as a starting point. The focus is on Spemann's holistic research style, and on the shifting meanings of Spemann's concept of an organizer. It is argued that the organizer concept unfolded multiple layers of meanings (biological, philosophical, and popular) during the 1920s and early 1930s. A detailed analysis of the metaphorical dynamics in Spemann's writings sheds light on the subtle vitalistic connotations of his experimental work. How Spemann's work was received by contemporary scientists and philosophers is analyzed briefly, and Spemann's holism is explored in the broader historical context of the various issues about reductionism and holism and related methodological questions that were so prominently discussed not only in Germany in the 1920s.

The practice of medicine has evolved significantly over time, from a more holistic to a reductionist or mechanistic approach. This paper briefly traces the history of medicine and the transition to quantitative medicine, which has enabled more personalized and targeted treatments, and improved understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms of disease. However, this shift has also presented some challenges and criticisms, including the danger of losing sight of the patient as a unique, whole individual. This paper explores the underlying principles and key contributions of quantitative medicine, as well as the context for its rise, including the development of new technologies and the influence of reductionist philosophies. The challenges and criticisms of this approach, and the need to balance reductionist and holistic approaches in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of human health will be discussed. Ultimately, by integrating insights from philosophy, physics, and other fields, we may be able to develop new and innovative approaches that bridge the gap between reductionism and holism and improve patient outcomes with the new "quantitative holism."

organicism A philosophical orientation that asserts that reality is best understood as an organic whole. By definition it is close to holism. Benedict Spinoza This glossary of philosophy is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to philosophy and related disciplines, including logic, ethics, and theology. eternalism A philosophical approach to the ontological nature of time. It builds on the standard method of modeling time as a dimension in physics, to give time a similar ontology to that of space. This would mean that time is just another dimension, that future events are "already there", and that there is no objective flow of time. existentialism The philosophical movement that views human existence as having a set of underlying themes and characteristics, such as anxiety, dread, freedom, awareness of death, and consciousness of existing, that are primary. That is, they cannot be reduced to or explained by a natural-scientific approach or any approach that attempts to detach itself from or rise above these themes. holism The idea that all the properties of a given system cannot be determined or explained by the sum of its constituent parts alone. Instead, the system as a whole determines in an important way how the parts behave. The general principle of holism is concisely summarized by the phrase "The whole is more than the sum of its parts." Holism is often seen as the opposite of reductionism. organicism A philosophical orientation that asserts that reality is best understood as an organic whole. By definition it is close to holism. Benedict Spinoza and Constantin Brunner are two philosophers whose thought is best understood as organicist. positivism The philosophical position that the only authentic knowledge is scientific knowledge. It is an approach to the philosophy of science, deriving from Enlightenment thinkers like Pierre-Simon Laplace. See also logical positivism.

Scars of experience: the art of moxibustion in Japanese medicine and society. Beliefs and practices surrounding moxibustion, a cautery technique used in Japan, are analyzed to demonstrate that the concept of holism is culture-bound and that the practice of East Asian medicine is often reductionistic. Pluralistic traditional medical belief systems of historical and contemporary Japan are discussed with reference to moxibustion. Moxa is used in popular family medicine, for ritual purification, as a technique to cure disease or as part of a holistic approach to healing; its symbolic meaning changes according to its usage and it serves to unite disparate medical beliefs. Socialization practices concerning attitudes towards illness reflect pluralistic values derived from traditional medical systems. One dominant set of values encourages patient and family responsibility during the healing process, adaptation to psychosocial relationships regarded as causal in disease occurrence and avoidance of verbal analysis of problems. These concepts, fundamental to East Asian medicine, cannot be readily adapted in the West as part of a holistic approach to health care.