The totality - an informal presentation

The totality is one of the most important concepts in philosophy. Although generally ascribed to Hegel the decisive steps in its formulation were taken by Spinoza. A number of posts on this blog will therefore deal with this issue. However, to illustrate the fundamental point, it will start with an informal presentation.
Consider a central metaphor that is taught for causality - that of one billiard ball striking another. One billiard ball comes across the table striking the other and causing the second to move in a certain direction. The impact of the first billiard ball caused the second to move. Almost every philosophical system - empiricism, materialism, dualism etc - agrees on this.
However what actually happens? The movement of the second ball is determined not only by the impact of the first ball but by the slope of the billiard table, the texture of the baize on it, any minute irregularities of the ball, the angle of approach of the first ball, the spin on the ball as it goes across the table, the exact weight of the first and second balls, whether any trace of chalk from the cue remained on the first ball etc. With ultra sensitive measuring equipment it would be found the exact movement of the ball would be affected by the height of the table relative to sea level and consequent effects of the Earth's gravitational field, exact air pressure with its effect on atmospheric drag, the position of the moon with its own gravitational effects etc. In short the precise movement of the ball is determined by everything acting on it.
This is the concept of the totality - and why it is required. Anything which occurs is not determined by one element in the situation but but the totality acting on it. Future posts will deal with this issue more formally.