Lecture Notes on Systems Theory Part 3

III. Systems theory as formulated by Luhmann can be seen as inheritor of the Hegelian philosophical system. If Hegel used paradoxical and circular reasoning, Luhmann, too, was similarly guilty and was even proud of it. Together their brand of thinking can be put under the heading Self-referential theories. Luhmann used this term oftentimes interchangeably with the term Autopoiesis. Mahirap i-translate ang self-reference sa Tagalog pero for the sake of simplicity, ang self-reference ay nangyayari kung ang isang bagay ay pumapatungkol din sa sarili niya. Ito ay ang property na kung saan hindi maiwasan na ma-implicate ang sarili sa lahat ng nangyayari o ginagawa. Ang mga halimbawang binanggit ni Luhmann ay ang pagiging mulat sa kamulatan (being conscious of ones consciousness) o ang pag-uusap tungkol sa mga pinag-uusapan (communication about communication). May ilan pang halimbawa, e.g. thinking about thoughts, acting on actions, observing observations, commenting on comments, etc. Ang autopoiesis naman ay galing sa dalawang Greek words na auto (self) at poiesis (produce/create). Samakatuwid, ang etymological meaning nito ay self-creation o self-production/self-reproduction. Sa systems theory ni Luhmann magkasama parati ang dalawang concepts na toSelf-Reference at (Self-Creation) Autopoiesis. Social systems are self-referential and autopoietic systems, according to Luhmann. How? First, with the creation of a system, a system must necessarily implicate itself in creating itself. A system must distinguish or differentiate itself from the environment for it to become a system. It uses the distinction system/environment. Second, systems further differentiate itself into subsystems according to the primary mode of differentiation. In segmentary societies, within tribal villages, a family that grows bigger than the size it can handle will form another family (similar segment from similar segment). In hierarchical societies, ones privileged status is enhanced by moving to or creating status higher that the previously occupied privileged status (which now becomes less privileged). In functionally differentiated society, function systems reproduce themselves according to their functions; e.g. science establishes truths that can be later on falsified by newer truths; or in law, congressmen pass new laws to amend existing laws. This insight is very crucial in understanding Luhmanns systems theory and his account of modernity. For him, what distinguishes traditional society from modern society is the way society is differentiated. Modern society became possible when social systems have become differentiated enough that it can operate autonomously by following its self-referential, autopoietic functions. Traditional societies have subsystems that overlap one anothers function and this creates domination and dependency. The key to modernity is functional differentiation. Luhmann provided a brief account of how functional differentiation started. It started when (two) complementary roles developed around each other. For example, teacher and student roles, when it became established and separated from other roles, the subsystem of education was born. Remember that in traditional society, the status of a student is incomprehensible since there Engels C. Del Rosario Page 1

was no formal education. Parents were the teachers, economic benefactors, law enforcers all at the same time, and education/training was not meant for education itself but for learning the skills needed for the familys livelihood. Education is tied up to economic activity and sometimes to religion. The same thing can be said with the economy. When the role of buyers and sellers in markets became independent enough of the economic restrictions of a selfsubsistent, feudal economy, the market grew in importance and there emerged the economy as a separate subsystem.

Engels C. Del Rosario

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