Volume 10 · Number 2 ·
Pages 203–210
Ontology, Reality and Construction in Niklas Luhmann’s Theory
Log in to download the full text for free
Abstract
Context: In the literature concerning the theory of social systems, interest in epistemological and ontological questions has increased in recent years. The controversies regarding a realist vs. constructivist interpretation of Luhmann’s theory, as well as the concept of many realities that correspond to many ontologies, deserve attention. Problem: The paper discusses interrelated ontological and epistemological problems in Luhmann’s systems theory, such as ontology and de-ontologization, realism vs. constructivism, contingency and its limits and one vs. many realities. Method: The paper proposes an interpretation, according to which systems theory is based on an epistemology - radical operative constructivism. Results: Luhmann is not a realist. The last word belongs to radical operative constructivism, and naïve realism with reference to social systems has only a preliminary, methodological significance. However, taking a position in the dispute between realism and constructivism inevitably involves an ontological “vocabulary,” that is, usage of the reality/construction distinction. Furthermore, operative constructivism formulates the necessary conditions of the possibility of cognition, which limit the contingency of the theory and constitute one reality that is a construction of systems theory. Luhmann rejects ontology, but he does not renounce epistemology, and consequently the project of de-ontologization remains incomplete. Implications: The paper offers a new, coherent interpretation of ontological and epistemological questions in Luhmann’s theory, and also throws light on some problems of radical constructivism in general, such as the ontological implications of epistemology or the constructivist self-reference of theories. Key words: Radical operative constructivism, social systems, Luhmann, ontology, reality, contingency.
Citation
Matuszek K. C. (2015) Ontology, reality and construction in niklas luhmann’s theory. Constructivist Foundations 10(2): 203–210. http://constructivist.info/10/2/203
Export article citation data: Plain Text · BibTex · EndNote · Reference Manager (RIS)
References
Abbott A. (1995) Things of boundaries. Social Research 62(4): 857–882. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Aufenvenne P., Egner H. & von Elverfeldt K. (2014) On climate change research, the crisis of science, and second-order science. Constructivist Foundations 10(1): 120–129. http://www.univie.ac.at/constructivism/journal/10/1/120.aufenvenne
Bateson G. (1972) Steps to an ecology of mind. Ballantine, New York. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Bateson G. (1987) Steps to an ecology of mind. Jason Aronson, Northvale. Originally published 1972. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Bhabha H. K. (1994) The location of culture. Routledge, London. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Candland D. K. (1993) Feral children and clever animals: Reflections on human nature. Oxford University Press, New York. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Cassirer E. (1910) Substanzbegriff und Funktionsbegriff. Untersuchungen über die Grundfragen der Erkenntniskritik [Substance and Function. Examinations about the fundamental issues of a critique of knowledge]. Verlag von Bruno Cassirer, Berlin. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Christis J. (2001) Luhmann’s theory of knowledge: beyond realism and constructivism? Soziale Systeme 7(2): 328–349. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Eco U. (1999) Kant and the Platypus: Essays on language and cognition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Emirbayer M. (1997) Manifesto for a relational sociology. American Journal of Sociology 103(2): 281–317. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Esposito E. (2013) Die Ontologie des Finanzwesens. In: John R., Rückert-John J. & Esposito E. (ed.) Ontologien der Moderne. Springer VS, Wiesbaden: 137–152. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Foerster H. von (1984) On constructing a reality. In: Watzlawick P. (ed.) The invented reality. W. W. Norton, New York: 41–62. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Foerster H. von (1985) Apropos epistemologies. Familiy Process 24: 517–521. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Foerster H. von (2003) Understanding understanding. Essays on cybernetics and cognition. Springer, New York. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Fuchs S. (2001) Against essentialism. a theory of culture and society. Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Gadenne V. (2008) The construction of realism. Constructivist Foundations 3(3): 153–159. http://www.univie.ac.at/constructivism/journal/articles/3/3/153.gadenne.pdf
Glasersfeld E. von (1991) Knowing without metaphysics: Aspects of the radical constructivist position. In: Steier F. (ed.) Research and reflexivity. Sage, London: 12–29. http://www.vonglasersfeld.com/132
Glasersfeld E. von (1995) Radical constructivism. A way of knowing and learning. Falmer Press, London. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Glasersfeld E. von (2005) Thirty years constructivism. Constructivist Foundations 1(1): 9–12. http://www.univie.ac.at/constructivism/journal/1/1/009.glaserfeld
Habermas J. (1990) The philosophical discourse of modernity. MIT Press, Cambridge MA. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Halewood M. (2005) On Whitehead and Deleuze: The process of materiality. Configurations 13: 57–76. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Hobson R. P. (1995) Autism and the development of mind. Lawrence Erlbaum: Hove UK. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Husserl E. (1960) Cartesian meditations: An introduction to phenomenology. Springer, Dordrecht. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
John R., Rückert-John J. & Esposito E. (2013) Vom Sein zum Machen der Welt [From being to making the world]. In: John R., Rückert-John J. & Esposito E. (eds.) Ontologien der Moderne. Springer, Wiesbaden: 7–12. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Jung A. (2009) Identität und Differenz. Sinnprobleme der differenzlogischen Systemtheorie [Identity and Difference. Meaning Problems of the differentialist Systems Theory]. transcript, Bielefeld. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Luhmann N. (1990) Die Wissenschaft der Gesellschaft [The science of society]. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Luhmann N. (1990) Soziologische Aufklärung 5. Konstruktivistische Perspektiven. [Sociological Enlightenment 5. Constructivist Perspectives]. Westdeutscher Verlag, Opladen. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Luhmann N. (1993) Deconstruction as second-order observing. New Literary History 24: 763–782. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Luhmann N. (1993) “Was ist der Fall?” und “Was steckt dahinter?” Die zwei Soziologien und die Gesellschaftstheorie. Zeitschrift für Soziologie 22(4): 245–260. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Luhmann N. (1995) Social systems. Stanford University Press, Stanford CA. German original published in 1984 as: Soziale Systeme. Grundriß einer allgemeinen Theorie. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Luhmann N. (1996) Die Realität der Massenmedien [The reality of mass media]. Second Edition. Westdeutscher Verlag, Opladen. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Luhmann N. (2006) Beobachtungen der Moderne [Observations of modernity]. Second Edition. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Luhmann N. (2006) Cognition as construction. In: Moeller H. G. (ed.) Luhmann explained. From souls to systems. Open Court, Chicago: 240–260. Originally published in German as: Luhmann N. (1988) Erkenntnis als Konstruktion. Bentli-Verlag, Sulgen. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Luhmann N. (2008) Soziologische Aufklärung 6. Die Soziologie und der Mensch [Sociological enlightenment. Volume 6: Sociology and the human being]. Third edition. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Luhmann N. (2009) Soziologische Aufklärung 5. Konstruktivistische Perspektiven [Sociological enlightenment. Volume 5: Constructivist perspectives]. Fourth edition. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Luhmann N. (2012) Theory of society, Volume 1. Stanford University Press, Stanford. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Luhmann N. (2013) Theory of society. Volume 2. Stanford University Press, Stanford. Originally published in German as: Luhmann N. (1997) Die Gesellschaft der Gesellschaft. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Maturana H. R. & Varela F. J. (1980) Autopoiesis and cognition. The realization of the living. Reidel, Dordrecht. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Maturana H. R. & Varela F. J. (1998) The tree of knowledge: The biological roots of human understanding. Revised edition. Shambala, Boston MA. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Maturana H. R. (2005) The origin and conservation of self-consciousness: Reflections on four questions by Heinz von Foerster. In: Riegler A. (ed.) Heinz von Foerster – in memoriam. Kybernetes: The International Journal of Systems & Cybernetics 34(1–2): 54–88. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
McCrone J. (2003) Feral children. The Lancet Neurology 2: 132. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Mitterer J. (2008) (Radical) constructivism – What difference does it make? Constructivist Foundations 3(3): 160–162. http://www.univie.ac.at/constructivism/journal/3/3/160.mitterer
Moeller H. G. (2006) Luhmann explained. From souls to systems. Open Court, Chicago, Kindle edition. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Moeller H. G. (2012) The radical Luhmann. Columbia University Press, New York. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Nassehi A. (1992) Wie wirklich sind Systeme? Zum ontologischen und epistemologischen Status von Luhmanns Theorie selbstreferentieller Systeme [How real are systems? On the ontological and epistemological status of Luhmann’s theory of self-referential systems]. In: Krawietz W., Welker M. (ed.) Kritik der Theorie sozialer Systeme. Auseinandersetzung mit Luhmanns Hauptwerk [Critique of the theory of social systems. Debating Luhmann’s magnum opus]. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main: 43–70. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Nassehi A. (2012) What exists between realism and constructivism? Constructivist Foundations 8(1): 14–15. http://www.univie.ac.at/constructivism/journal/8/1/014.nassehi
Originally published in German as: Luhmann N. (1997) Die Gesellschaft der Gesellschaft. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Parsons T., Shils E. A. (1951) Toward a general theory of action. Harper & Row, New York. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Piaget J. (1972) The principles of genetic epistemology. Routledge and Kegan Paul, London. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Quine W. V. (1980) From a logical point of view. Second edition. Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Rasch W. (2000) Niklas Luhmann’s modernity: The paradoxes of differentiation. Stanford University Press, Stanford. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Rasch W. (2013) Luhmanns Ontologie. In: John R., Rückert-John J., Esposito E. (ed.) Ontologien der Moderne. Springer VS, Wiesbaden: 35–54. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Reckwitz A. (2004) Die Logik der Grenzerhaltung und die Logik der Grenzüberschreitungen: Niklas Luhmann und die Kulturtheorien [The Logic of Boundary Maintenance und the Logic of Boundary Crossings: Niklas Luhmann and the Theories of Culture]. In: Burkart G. & Runkel G. (eds.) Luhmann und die Kulturtheorie. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main: 213–240. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Reichholf J. H. (2009) Wehret den Anfängen [Nip this in the bud]. Forschung & Lehre 16(3): 165. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Rorty R. (1989) Contingency, irony, and solidarity. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Scholl A. (2008) Non-dualizing philosophy and empirical research. Constructivist Foundations 3(3): 172–180. http://www.univie.ac.at/constructivism/journal/articles/3/3/172.scholl.pdf
Scholl A. (2012) Between realism and constructivism? Luhmann’s ambivalent epistemological standpoint. Constructivist Foundations 8(1): 5–12, 15–18. http://www.univie.ac.at/constructivism/journal/8/1/005.scholl
Somers M. S. (1994) The narrative constitution of identity: A relational and network approach. Theory and Society 23: 605–649. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Sonne W. (2009) Ein Lob der Theorie. Wider den Fundamentalismus in den Wissenschaften [Praise for theory. Against fundamentalism in the sciences]. Forschung & Lehre 16 (4): 272–273. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Spencer Brown G. (1971) Laws of form. Allen & Unwin, London. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Spencer-Brown G. (1979) Laws of form. E. P. Dutton, New York. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Spencer-Brown G. (1994) Laws of form. Limited Edition. Cognizer, Portland. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Spencer-Brown G. (2008) Laws of form. Eight edition. Bohmeier, Leipzig. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Stichweh R. (2000) Systems theory as an alternative to action theory? The rise of “communication” as a theoretical option. Acta Sociologica 43(1): 5–13. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Stichweh R. (2006) Semantik und Sozialstruktur. Zur Logik einer Systemtheoretischen Unterscheidung [Semantik and social structure. The logic of a system-theoretical distinction]. In: Tänzler D., Knoblauch H., Soeffner H.-G. (ed.) Neue Perspektiven der Wissenssoziologie. UVK, Konstanz: 157–171. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Suchman N. (2007) Human-machine reconfigurations. Plans and situated actions. Second edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Vanderstraeten R. (2002) Parsons, Luhmann and the theorem of double contingency. Journal of Classical Sociology 2: 77–92. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Vanderstraeten R. (2005) System and environment: Notes on the autopoiesis of modern society. Systems Research & Behavioral Science 22: 471–481. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Vanderstraeten R. (2012) Rewriting theory: From autopoiesis to communication. Systems Research & Behavioral Science 28: 377–386. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Völker J. & Scholl A. (2014) Do the media fail to represent reality. A constructivist and second-order critique of the research on environmental media coverage and its normative implications. Constructivist Foundations 10(1): 140–149. http://www.univie.ac.at/constructivism/journal/10/1/140.voelker
Wagner G. (1997) The end of Luhmann’s social systems theory. Philosophy of the Social Sciences 27(4): 387–409. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
White H. C. (1992) Identity and control. A structural theory of social action. Princeton University Press, Princeton. ▸︎ Google︎ Scholar
Comments: 0
To stay informed about comments to this publication and post comments yourself, please log in first.