An epistemological rethink is needed to initiate a paradigm shift from the Newtonian model to an assessment of complexity that includes both holism and reductionism.

• 以认识论的观点看,还原论和整体论结合起来才能综合评估复杂生物系统。突现,非线性和自组织等复杂性理论的概念正改变和塑造着生物医学研究范式。