Does Systems Differentiation Present a Risk for Contemporary society?

Abstract

Systems theory sees contemporary society as a functionally differentiated society, formed of heterogeneous but equal parts that are relatively independent in character and are termed social partial systems. Niklas Luhmann regards this society as a whole that is differentiated into functionally dependent but at the same time autonomous partial systems which represent surrounding worlds for each other.

This brings up the question of the existence or non-existence of possible unifying forces or integration mechanisms.

Keywords

• Systems
• Differentiation
• Present
• Contemporary
• society