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Position:Home>Philosophy> What exactly does "the whole is greater than its parts" mean?Question: What exactly does "the whole is greater than its parts" mean!? Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: The whole is only greater than the sum of its parts when dealing with one fundamental concept: function!. As such it only applies to three types of matter combinations: living beings, things created by living beings with a purpose in mind, and things that made live possible!. Animals, plants, and humans are all greater than the sum of their parts since they only function as an organism!. A car, boat, computer, etc!., only functions when they are fulfilling the purpose of their creation --half a boat can be a really bad day (Think titanic)!. Lastly without the accidental function that the sun gives us, namely heating the Earth, we couldn't exist -- half a sun is a really, really bad day!. So this means the whole is greater than the sum of is parts because only as a whole can a thing functionWww@QuestionHome@Com example 1!.:if you get an infection and you need to have your arm amputated, you are doing so to protect the rest of your body!. a small sacrifice is sometimes needed!. example 2!.:ant colonies survive because a small percentage of the ants get killed, or lost but the colony survives!. example 3!.:telling a white lie to keep from hurting someones feelings, a small lie is justified because it saves everyone embarresment or troubles!.-blurey Www@QuestionHome@Com What the context!? For example, if you were talking about a team of people working together the whole group is more beneficial than each individual worker!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Its saying that alone the pieces added up are not as strong, for lack of a better term, as when the parts are working togetherWww@QuestionHome@Com The world is greater than any country!. It is the combination of all things that make the whole!. 10/10 is better than 6/10!.Www@QuestionHome@Com it means that a whole is stronger when together then individually!. It's like!.!.!.!.you're only as strong as the weakest linkWww@QuestionHome@Com |