Wholes are said to be more than the sum of their parts. This ‘more’ contains both a promise and a threat. When different elements — which might be individuals, cultures, disciplines, or methods — form a whole, they not only join forces but also generate a surplus from which the parts can benefit. Being part of a whole is a way to acquire meaning; and having a part in the whole is to have an enlarged agency. But wholes are also more powerful than the sum of their parts.