What does 'gestalt' mean?

I wouldn't be asking here if I didn't need to. I don't understand any of the online definitions. Can someone break it down for me?

>the whole has a reality of its own, independent of the parts

Think of it as your body. It's made of cells, each with their own business.
But you're more than just a bunch of cells working together. So much that a cell doesn't define you, neither don't all your cells.
You're entirely something else.

>>9857171
What's the gestalt here? Would it be your body being an entity of its own despite being composed of all those individual cells?

>>9857130
I'm a little bit confused. Are you asking for a german-english translation?

>>9857130
It's usually used in relation to perception. To grasp the "gestalt" of something means to grasp it as a singular whole, rather than a collection of parts. You don't see a table as a board with four legs; you just see A TABLE.

>>9857130
>>9857130
in german in means "form" as in "the spirit took form"

>>9857178

whole ≠ sum of parts

File: ithink.jpg (14KB, 499x475px) Image search: [Google]

14KB, 499x475px

>>9857130
it's that guy with white hair in The Witcher...

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>>9857130

>gestalt

You are in the right path anon

Sometimes Gestalt means just a person, especially it she hasn't been introduced yet / is unknown. Like 'he saw a strange Gestalt disappearing into the bushes' or something like that. Often it means something like form. Just provide the context with the full sentence

>>9857171
>>9857262
>>9857271
>>9857277
>>9857316
You guys rock. Thanks so much, I think I get it now.

Gestalt = summary, as in "he gave the basic gestalt of the jews' plan"

It's a lesser form of the enchilada. A basic gestalt would be like a quick survey of relevant information, while a whole enchilada would be a massive and detailed information dump. Whether to give somebody a gestalt or enchilada depends on their interest and ability to comprehend

gestalt literally means figure