Why Systems?

With reference to three seminal books on cybernetics, communication theory and the calculus of distinctions, this article discusses some main threads in Niklas Luhmann's sociological systems theoretical thinking. It argues that the systems theory, despite its still lively reputation in some qua...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inTheory, culture & society Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 59 - 74
Main Author Baecker, Dirk
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published SAGE Publications 01.02.2001
Subjects
Causality
Communication
Cybernetics
Intelligence
Luhmann, Niklas
Organization
Social sciences
Social Systems
Systems Theory
cybernetics
distinction
form
communication
causality
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Summary:With reference to three seminal books on cybernetics, communication theory and the calculus of distinctions, this article discusses some main threads in Niklas Luhmann's sociological systems theoretical thinking. It argues that the systems theory, despite its still lively reputation in some quarters of the humanities, is not technocracy's last attempt to cope with the complexity of modern society. Rather, it is an inquiry into the improbability of communication and into its translation into social structure, or better, into social form.
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ISSN:0263-2764
1460-3616
DOI:10.1177/026327601018001005