The Blind Men and the Elephant: Attaining a Holistic Perspective
The principle of holism declares that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. A holistic perspective looks at each component part and how it is connected with one another to create a cohesive whole.
It focuses on the bigger picture, the totality, rather than finer details or some aspects only.
It holds that centering only on some parts results in losing the whole picture.
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On the other hand, a partial perspective centers on just some aspects of the whole in such a way that the whole is overlooked or discounted.
Also, it tends to consider the perceiving subject the basis of truth.
A partial point of view is founded on the component part or parts of a whole, thus, an incomplete perspective. (For the learning competency in Intro to Philosophy of the Human Person, read: Distinguish a Holistic Perspective from a Partial Point of View)
The Parable of the 6 Blind Men and an Elephant
The famous parable of the blind men and their first encounter with an elephant explains the difference between a holistic perspective and a partial point of view. The parable has a number of Indian variations, but generally goes as follows:
Some blind men heard that an odd animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its form and shape. Out of curiosity, they thus agreed that they should examine and know it by touch, of which they were capable.
And so, they sought it out, and groped about it when they found it.
For the first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, the elephant seemed like a thick snake. In the case of the second whose hand reached its ear, the animal appeared like a kind of fan.
As for the third blind, whose hand was upon its leg, expressed, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk.
The fourth blind man who placed his hand upon its side assumed that elephant is a wall. The fifth who felt its tail claimed that it as a rope. The sixth felt its tusk, describing the elephant as that which is hard, smooth, and like a spear.
The men left the town still arguing. A little girl heard them and said “Each of you is right but you are all wrong … but I know what you are talking about!” (The Filipino/Tagalog version of the parable can be found here: Isang Talinhaga: Ang Anim na Lalaking Bulag at Isang Elepante)
The Parable of Blind Men and the Elephant is used today as a warning for people that endorse absolute truth or exclusive claims on a subject matter.
The reason for the warning is that a person with a partial grasp of truth cannot turn that into the one and only version of all reality.
Indeed, our held knowledge of something may just be a limited perspective on the objective truth and not the holistic view.
Like what the aforementioned parable teaches, a holistic perspective states that a limited standpoint does not possess the monopoly of truth. Instead, it holds that while one’s personal take about something may be true, it may not be the absolute truth, for others’ take on the same matter may also be true.
Unlike the partial point of view, holism as an approach widens one’s comprehension of reality by taking into account other possible causal agents or factors that are fundamentally pertinent to a phenomenon.
In the midst of so many explanatory frameworks and theories, holism advocates suspending one’s partial and subjective take on things and prefers considering what others believe.
Philosophy encourages the attainment of a holistic perspective. Philosophy avoids being one dimensional or partial, and philosophers do not limit their investigation to a particular object or inquiry, instead, they employ the multidimensional or holistic approach.
But philosophical holism does not necessarily mean merely discarding one’s own perspective and saying yes to others’ points of view. Rather, it promotes comparing one’s view with those of other thinkers to come up with a more holistic standpoint … continue reading
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Free Lectures for MELCs of Intro to the Philosophy of the Human Person subject:
Distinguish a Holistic Perspective from a Partial Point of View (Holism vs Partial Perspective)
Realize the Value of Doing Philosophy in Obtaining a Broad Perspective on Life
Do a philosophical reflection on a concrete situation from a holistic perspective
Distinguish Opinion from Truth
Realize that the methods of philosophy lead to wisdom and truth
Recognize how the human body imposes limits and possibilities for transcendence
Related Article:
Holistic Approach in Education: Education of the Mind, Heart, and Hands: Challenges to the Changing Educational System
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