Agency Dictionary

Reductionism

nounPronunciation: /rɪˈdʌk.ʃən.ɪ.zəm/

What does “Reductionism” mean?

The practice of analyzing and describing a complex phenomenon in terms of its simple or fundamental constituents.

Etymology

From reduction plus -ism. Reduction came from Latin reductiō (a leading back), from reducere (to lead back), from re- and ducere (to lead). As a doctrine in philosophy of science, reductionism holds that complex phenomena can be fully explained by their simpler or more fundamental components.

Usage note

Reductionism is both a methodological tool (breaking problems into parts) and a philosophical claim (all higher-level phenomena are nothing but their components). The two senses are often confused.

Word family

reduce
reduction
reductionist
reductive
reducible

Concept

Methodological ReductionismMethodological reductionism is a scientific research strategy that investigates complex phenomena by dividing them into their smallest constituent parts and examining…

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Research.1 - PermeabilityAugust 29, 2026Read the edition

Words of the same theme

Antithesisnoun: A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
Equationnoun: A complex statement or problem involving balancing multiple interdependent factors, variables, or meanings.
Discursiveadjective: Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
Astronautnoun: A person trained and equipped to travel and operate beyond the atmosphere of the Earth. In space exploration, astronauts perform scientific experiments and navigate spacecraft under extreme conditions.
Decompositionnoun: The natural biological or chemical process of decay, breakdown, or disintegration into constituent elements.
eppur si muoveother: An Italian phrase meaning and yet it moves. It is used to affirm that a fact remains true no matter who denies it.
Treatisenoun: A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
Maximnoun: A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
Pollinationnoun: The transfer of pollen grains from the male anther to the female stigma of a flower, enabling fertilization and seed production.
Regenerativeadjective: Relating to or capable of renewing, restoring, or reforming biological vitality and structural equilibrium.
rhetoricnoun: The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
Tangibleadjective: Perceptible by the sense of touch or capable of being physically grasped and measured in concrete physical reality. It distinguishes concrete material products from virtual or intellectual entities.

Also from these editions: terms

Affectnoun: An expressed or experienced emotion, feeling, or visceral response to a stimulus in psychology and philosophy.
Biomenoun: A large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat defined by climate and soil.
Cognitionnoun: The mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
Epistemologicaladjective: Relating to epistemology, the theory of knowledge, its methods, validity, and scope.
Inferentialadjective: Characterized by or derived from deduction, reasoning from premises, or drawing conclusions from evidence.
Ontologynoun: The branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being, reality, and what kinds of entities can be said to exist.
Permeabilitynoun: The state or quality of being permeable, allowing liquids, gases, or symbolic influences to pass through.
Phenomenologynoun: The philosophical approach that concentrates on the study of conscious experience and appearances as experienced from the first-person point of view.
Reciprocitynoun: The practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit; mutual dependence or action and reaction between entities.
Somaticadjective: Relating to the physical body, especially as distinct from the mind, psyche, or purely intellectual faculties.
Venomousadjective: Capable of injecting venom through a bite or sting; highly toxic or characterized by malice.