J.W. Pepper

J.W. Pepper is an influential figure in the philosophy of science, particularly known for his work on emergentism. Emergentism is the idea that complex systems have properties that cannot be fully understood just by examining their individual parts. Instead, new characteristics "emerge" when these parts interact in specific ways. Pepper advocates for understanding these emergent properties in the context of scientific inquiry, emphasizing the importance of both reductionist approaches (looking at parts) and holistic approaches (considering the whole system) to fully grasp complex phenomena in nature and society.