Reductionism

The mistaken idea that features of lower levels of Emergence are fundamental to, necessarily cause, or must explain phenomena at higher levels of emergence.

Reductionism is a form of Foundationalism applied to levels of reality. It falsely treats micro-level descriptions as more real or more fundamental than macro-level ones. Many phenomena can only be understood at their own emergent level.

Connections

• •A form of Foundationalism — lower levels as the foundation
• •Misunderstands Emergence — higher levels are genuinely explanatory
• •Denies that higher-level entities are Real
• •Related to Essentialism — seeking a single "true" level of description
• •Ontology is flattened by reductionism
• •Opposed by Critical Rationalism — explanations at every level are valid
• •The Physical World operates at many emergent levels simultaneously