SISTEMAS AUTO-REFERENTES, AUTOPOIÉTICOS: NOÇÕES-CHAVE PARA A COMPREENSÃO DE NIKLAS LUHMANN

Abstract

The present article has for general objective to discuss the concept of autopoietic  system developed by Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela and carried into Luhmann’s  theory with some epistemological and methodological encrease. Luhmann’s theory explains the  society through using a set of articulated concepts such as system, structure, function, meaning,  contingency, communication etc. These concepts sometimes are almost completely changed  (re-meaning) in respect to the philosophical tradition or in respect any new approaches that are  developed in different disciplines of science as in cognitive science, biology, communication and so one.