THE AUTOPOIESIS OF SOCIAL-SYSTEMS - ASSESSING LUHMANN-THEORY OF SELF-REFERENCE

This paper explicates Luhmann's self-referential theory of autopoiesis . Luhmann shows how social systems work in self-reproducing fashion to define and perpetuate themselves. This process of autopoiesis depends heavily upon binary coding. Systems which define themselves in a unit ary fashion face the problem of tautology ('legal is legal'). Systems thus turn to dichotomies or binary coding to define themselves ('legal is not illegal'). This in turn can lead to the problem of paradox (wh en something is defined in terms of what it is not), so that the syste ms are seen in Luhmann's theory as utilizing procedures both for 'de-t autologizing' and 'de-paradoxing' themselves. This paper shows that Lu hmann's paradigm holds great promise for solving current problems of s ocial theory and for moving theory forward. This is illustrated by app lying Luhmann's theory to two empirical examples: law and ecology.