holoni

Holoni refers to a philosophical concept introduced by Arthur Koestler in his 1967 book, The Ghost in the Machine. The term is derived from the Greek word holos, meaning whole, and the suffix -on, suggesting a part. A holon, therefore, is something that is simultaneously a whole in and of itself, and also a part of a larger whole.

This concept describes a hierarchical system where each level is composed of holons, and each holon is itself a composite of smaller holons. For example, a cell is a holon; it is a whole unit, but it is also a part of an organ, which is a holon, and so on, up to an organism, which is a holon within an ecosystem.

Holons possess two fundamental, self-regulating tendencies. The first is the tendency to maintain their integrity and autonomy as wholes, a process Koestler termed "self-assertion." The second is the tendency to integrate themselves into larger wholes, a process he called "integration." These opposing yet complementary forces are crucial for the functioning of complex systems. The concept of holons has been applied in various fields, including systems theory, psychology, and artificial intelligence, to understand the structure and dynamics of complex organizations.