theoretical reductionism

Reductionism, in philosophy, is the idea that complex entities can be understood by breaking them down into simpler, more fundamental parts. This can mean that things are identical to, or combinations of, simpler entities. For example, the belief that physical bodies are made of atoms, or that a mental state is the same as a specific brain state, are examples of reductionist thinking.1

There are different types of reductionism:
* Ontological reductionism: The belief that entities are fundamentally composed of simpler kinds of entities.2
* Methodological reductionism: The view that complex behaviors can be explained by the properties of smaller, simpler entities.2
* Theoretical reductionism: The idea that older scientific theories can be logically derived from newer, more basic theories.2

While ontological and methodological reductionism are widely accepted, theoretical reductionism has faced significant criticism, particularly in fields like biology, with debates on whether older theories are replaced or truly reduced by newer ones.2