Discussion»Questions»Life and Society» T'is said that "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts". How is that is possible? How can a cake be more than its ingredients?
In a physical sense you are correct. There is no other way I could answer otherwise as I am not a Chinese philosopher. One could also ask "What does greater mean?"
This post was edited by Element 99 at December 5, 2016 7:08 AM MST
A question touching on Gestalt psychology! You're braver than I am Rosie! :)
It is a quote that's first attributed to Aristotle, so far as I know, but it is often mistranslated. What Aristotle seems to have said (it is to be found in his 'Metaphysics') is closer to, 'The whole is more than the sum of it's parts', which is subtly different.
This is also true of the statement made by Kurt Koffka, a Gestalt psychologist, who said, 'The whole is other than the sum of it's parts'.
Both are mistranslated to 'Greater than' I'm afraid, but your question is worth serious thought, whichever option ('more' or 'other') you go for. :)
As a mere mathematician the subtle distinction between greater than and more than escapes me, but I dare say classicists and theologians can argue the point.
Under normal mathematical axioms the saying is merely incorrect or possibly a paradox, but it may well be possible to set up an axiom system where it obtains.
Different fields such as psychology, philosophy poetry etc will have their own sets of meaning.
