The concept of "holon" has been
introduced by Arthur Koestler for describing systems which are able to
operate in an autonomous fashion, but which can be assembled within a
wider system. A system can therefore include successive levels of assembly. Such a concept is therefore directly connected to the theory
of complexity. It can be applied to a wide range of systems: living
organisms, but also machines, which include components which are
composed of smaller components. Like the concept of "memes", the concept
of "holons" is somewhat dangerous, as it can lead to a
pseudo-scientific way of thinking, which can even become quite
irrational.
An
illustration of such a risk appears when reading "A brief history of
everything" by Ken Wilber. The Twenty tenets which he presents in the
Appendix of his book for describing holons seem inspired by the vision of
"hypostasis" from neo-platonicism, rather than by a scientific vision.
"Reality as a whole...is composed of holons". "Holons
display...self-preservation, self-trancendence and self-dissolution"."
Each successive level of evolution produces greater depth and less
span". "The greater the depth of a holon, the greater its degree of
consciousness"
Le terme de holon a été introduit par Arthur Koestler pour désigner des systèmes capables de fonctionner de façon autonome, mais qui s'assemblent dans un système plus vaste. Un système peut ainsi comprendre plusieurs niveaux de complexité, chaque niveau d'ordre n faisant interagir des sous-systèmes (holons) d'ordre n-1. Ce concept qui est directement relié à la notion de complexité ne pose pas de problème majeur d'interprétation.
