In the second section of Fritjof Capra's The Web of Life, "The Rise of Systems Thinking," the author begins with a discussion of "From the Parts to the Whole." Other words for "systems" in the expression "systems thinking" are holistic, ecological and systemic. Holism is a thought and decision-making model to solve multifaceted problems and make decisions regarding the value of making one choice against another.  The practical outcome from the conceptual approach is based on management towards a common goal, including vision of a future desired condition; for example for the land resource and human system base. This requires definition and consideration of well functioning ecological, social and financial systems.

Thinking that emphasizes "the Parts" is often referred to as mechanistic or atomistic.

Systems thinking is not only comprehensive but widely useful, the kind of thinking needed to design utopian communities like Plato's Republic and great works of art. In other disciplines it leads to innovative inventions and the development of perceptive theories in the complex realms of mathematics and physics. Imaginative geniuses like Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein naturally thought in a holistic manner. As a consequence, their perceptive works reflected the future in art and science.

Thinking from the viewpoint of the whole is not new to philosophers and their pupils. Ancient forms of wisdom include the Indian scriptures, Buddhism and Platonism. All use holistic thinking, opening doors with analogy as a key ("as above so below"). In different terms, seekers after truth can grasp a concept that seems beyond their understanding by first comprehending a similar but simpler concept. Sometimes the analogy takes the form of myth or parable. Euclid's geometry illustrates the point with progressively complex theorems and propositions, starting with a small number of simple common- sense assumptions (axioms).

Intuitive and rational thinking play an important role in cognition by parable, analogy, correspondence and myth. Intuitive perception comes first; rational thinking follows. Myth and parable fire up the intuition. Analogy and correspondence use intuition in a rational manner. Universal "web" patterns are found in higher realms of thought -- philosophical, theological and scientific. In mathematical and symbolic art, the principle is illustrated by fractal patterns, where each element and sub- element mirrors the design of the whole. The fractal may be looked at as a dynamic kind of web. Biological systems follow similar but more complex patterns.