Which term describes the belief that the living organism is greater than the sum of its parts?

Which term describes the belief that the living organism is greater than the sum of its parts?

• A. Innate
• B. Mechanistic
• C. Vitalism
• D. Homeostasis

Answer: (C)

The idea that life is more than the sum of its parts is captured by vitalism. This view holds that there is a life force or vital principle that cannot be fully explained by the chemistry and physics of the parts alone, making the whole organism greater than merely the collection of its components. That’s why this term fits best: it explicitly describes a non-reducible quality of life that goes beyond just the individual parts. Innate refers to inherited traits, mechanistic treats life as fully explicable by mechanical processes, and homeostasis is about maintaining internal stability, not about the whole organism possessing a special life force.

The idea that life is more than the sum of its parts is captured by vitalism. This view holds that there is a life force or vital principle that cannot be fully explained by the chemistry and physics of the parts alone, making the whole organism greater than merely the collection of its components. That’s why this term fits best: it explicitly describes a non-reducible quality of life that goes beyond just the individual parts. Innate refers to inherited traits, mechanistic treats life as fully explicable by mechanical processes, and homeostasis is about maintaining internal stability, not about the whole organism possessing a special life force.