Niklas Luhmann – 1973 – Grundzüge der Systemtheorie

a lot in oerlinghausen near bielefeld and

niklas

luhmann

professor of sociology at the university of bielefeld 46 years ago a few years ago just a tip for professional sociologists today without a doubt one of the most influential and discussed sociologists in the Federal Republic where you can learn about systems theory in the field of technology and biology, for example, has already been successfully applied to the area of ​​society in numerous publications he had presented the approaches of his new theory that wants to understand society as a whole and should be applicable to In this universal statement, which today can only be compared with Marxism, Jürgen Habermas's Marxist argument with Flores, which appeared two years ago, opened an already extremely productive discussion that reflects the current possible state of the formation of social theory .

Furthermore, it was conducted in such abstract language that it is difficult to understand why the dispute concerns one's existing profession. Very complicated approaches to the comprehensive systems theory of society have been presented in numerous publications, if we now try to develop an idea. In a brief conversation about what systems theory is in its sense and what it achieves, we of course have to limit ourselves to some general suggestions, but perhaps you could. However, try to use the basic approach to briefly address the basic problems of your Theory Yes, that is possible. Every modern systemic theory begins with the difference between system and environment.

In the social sphere, there are a large number of systems of this type, especially from families, schools, political parties, companies, the judiciary, etc. about and the environment In each of these systems everything is different. The environment is not only the natural environment but also the multitude of specific people with their different personalities and finally the other social systems. With the help of this idea of ​​a difference between. Of course, the same applies to psychological systems in relation to their environment. In a constantly changing environment, this is not the first difficulty for systems theory. The environment can constantly change, so the boundaries of the systems can still be clearly established.

If that's possible. Because such boundaries are defined by the systems of the world, that means that it is not science that constructs such systems, but that the people involved in each case assign them to themselves. to certain social systems, for example, if they ride the tram or play skat, if they vote in a political election, if they are at work in the office or having dinner with their family and in each case they adhere to a certain system. rules and knowing the limits of the system to know what cannot be done and how changes occur in said systems and that is possible because those involved are certainly oriented towards a difference between the system and the environment.

The difference between family and school. , for example, is known by everyone involved and it is precisely this that allows for gradual changes in the system, changes in boundaries and continuous adaptation to the changes, such as in the sense that more and more people are asked to parents who do their children's schoolwork in accordance with and perhaps also control costs families peace and eases the burden on the school system and allows for greater performance greater demands on teachers. This leads to the concept of complexity, which is a basic problem, a basic concept in his theory is what he means by that: The world always offers more possibilities than individual social systems can take advantage of.

So, systems have the function of reducing complexity. What is the meaning of this oft-cited term complexity reduction for systems theory? You can experience everything at the same time or perform all imaginable actions at the same time, you always have to exclude something and it is the realization of systemic education, that is, what I just described when I said: you know if you are. ride a tram or play skateboarding The term complexity now allows for a comparison of the system and the environment. So, to theoretically overcome this difference, you can always understand why the environment is more complex than the system itself and then you can examine different systems and different social conditions adapt to this complexity gap between the environment and the system this process Adaptation from system to environment Complexity feels as if an increasingly complex society is always completely dependent on the system of society as a whole, which can therefore provide more and more possibilities for living and acting Systems theory now claims to be the only adequate universal explanation for today's complex society.

I have to intervene only appropriately no scientist can claim to have the only correct theory, it can only be a question of systems theory. so universally applicable to all social issues and it is inevitable that the instruments themselves have to be differentiated at various levels and especially. The term offers this advantage: systems can be accepted in a very comprehensive way and system analysis of subsystems within systems can be repeated. , for example within entire societies General systems theory aims to be applicable to every social situation, for example also to a street circle or an interview. Now here the application to the comprehensive system of society that includes all interpersonal relationships is a special case that Of course, the most important special case and almost the test case of universal applicability is theory, because the complex case is the most difficult of the theoretical analysis of what are the typical characteristics of modern society within the framework of the system.

The system theory for modern societies is that in the differences that are being achieved or in the first advanced cultures, the main principle of differentiation is a functional image that means that the participants are formed from different points of view, so Aren't families formed in the family village next door? people, but politics on the one hand, economics on the other, research, the military, education, each of them configured as a special subsystem or specific functions and modern waters differ mainly in the depth of focus in which These functional differentiations occur in this context. They also demand that the language of science be reformulated to meet the needs of this new form of social system.

They demand that concepts such as truth and reason, which have shaped people's self-image and their social order, be redefined. in functional terms, that is, what does that mean in the framework of systems theory and what consequences does it have? These terms are themselves coins of an era in which social development went back much further in time. relationship with reality, a much more direct relationship with the possibility of human knowledge of social reality in one. In a broader serious cosmos, it was therefore conceivable there that truth is essentially a matter of human reason and essentially also has a place in humanity.

Because reality recognizes that for today's complex society, this approach has become, shall we say, unrealistic, it is presented as a stagnant moral myth or as the basis for defining logical theories. It seems to me that a theory of fourfold truth valid for complex societies has to be formulated more abstractly something in the sense of a code of rules according to which reductions of experience are transferred from one to another because you write here in a place , dealing with Jürgen Habermas, that rationality is nothing more than the implementation of structural system requirements in roles. The regulations that are monitored and sanctioned in the system do not mean, as critics of it have formulated, that the theory of the system refrains from specifying standards for the reasonableness or irrationality of a social order.

It refrains from evaluating whether a social system benefits or harms whom, and to whom. that is, whether it is, say, democratic or fascist, because systems theory does not take a clear view on such values ​​about systems. Then everything is analyzed from the perspective of how a system can stabilize and remain functional. So, political terror or. The murder could also be well deserved from this perspective. I think the criticism you express precisely is too general. You have to distinguish between two things. First, it is true that system theory does not depend on predetermined natural or moral values. instances or criteria, but it assumes that all standards for evaluating actions are formulated in society itself and are, so to speak, written in its own sky as an abstraction, so they also change with social development.

A greater depth of focus and greater differentiated analysis are achieved. if one does not simply use absolute standard measures, but examines the consequences that extreme values ​​have in the direction of terror, that is, in the direction of a certain political side of the system, the investor, in others, that is, in relation to capital raising to socialization for civilized behavior, the right to purchase instruments, etc., whether the system theory would become politically effective across all. Victoria constantly criticizes certain extreme assumptions in the field of politics reveals the action lies in I left an indecision about possible political issues, the system makes theoretical research can be used for all political objectives, so it can also be used to justify and stabilize existing power relations as a new ideology. no democratic society since the theory of the system contains no immanent barriers against political use or abuse of what should.

What do such barriers look like? The control of politics and the question of whether it should be stabilized or not. That's why I still have a scientific question in today's politics. Although every day I can guide myself in concrete details in Bonn, where I can see what critics. of your system theory are among us, the stupid ones