Theories of Distinction: Redescribing the Descriptions of ModernityThe essays in this volume by Germany's leading social theorist of the late twentieth century formulate what he considered to be the preconditions for an adequate theory of modern society. The first two essays deal with the modern European philosophical and scientific tradition, notably the ogy of Edmund Husserl. The next four essays concern the crucial notion of observation as defined by Luhmann. They examine the history of paradox as a logical problem and as a historically conditioned feature of rhetoric; deconstruct the thinking of Jacques Derrida, especially his language-centered allegiances; discuss the usefulness of Spencer Brown's Laws of Form; and assess the consequences of observation and paradox for epistemology. The following essays present Luhmann's theory of communication and his articulation of the difference between thought and communication, a difference that makes clear one of Luhmann's most radical and controversial theses, that the individual not only does not form the basic element of society but is excluded from it altogether, situated instead in the environment of the social system. The book concludes with a polemic against the critical thought of the Frankfurt School of postwar German social thought. |
Contents
The SelfPositing Society | 1 |
The Paradox of Observing Systems | 79 |
Deconstruction as SecondOrder Observing | 94 |
IdentityWhat or How? | 113 |
The Cognitive Program of Constructivism | 128 |
What Is Communication? | 155 |
How Can the Mind Participate in Communication? | 169 |
Notes | 197 |
213 | |
225 | |
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Theories of Distinction: Redescribing the Descriptions of Modernity Niklas Luhmann No preview available - 2002 |
Common terms and phrases
already autopoiesis autopoietic autopoietic systems become boundary claim cognition complexity concept consciousness consequences construction constructivism constructivist critique culture deconstruction Derrida designates différance differentiation distinction distinguish empirical epistemology European everything excluded exists external world fact Foerster formal frame Frankfurt School function systems Gotthard Günther Günther Heinz von Foerster hetero-reference historical human Humberto Maturana Husserl identity knowledge language Laws of Form limits logic Luhmann mass media mathematics Maturana means metaphysics mind modern society munication Niklas Luhmann nonbeing not-self numbers object observation of observations observe and describe observed observer observing systems ontological operations paradox perception phenomenology philosophy political polycontextural position possible presupposed problem psychic question radical constructivism rationality reality reason recursive reentry remains result second-order observation self-observation self-reference self-referential semantics sense side social systems Spencer Brown 1979 structures systems of communication systems theory theoretical thereby things tinction tion tradition transcendental unity