Systémová diferenciace – rizikový potenciál soudobé společnosti

This paper is based on the ideas of systems theory as formulated by Niklas Luhmann. Unlike his predecessor Talcott Parsons, Luhmann foregrounds the question not of systems integration, but differentiation. For Luhmann modern society is a functionally differentiated society, i.e. it is composed of heterogeneous but equal parts which are relatively independent and are defined as social subsystems. Luhmann's analysis presents contemporary society as a whole differentiated into functionally dependent yet autonomous sub-systems that constitute neighbouring worlds for each other. This raises the question of the existence or non-existence of potential unifying forces or integration mechanisms. In Luhmann's view the main problem is the non-existence of means of "metacommunication". The development of specialised media and codes in the individual sub-systems increases the overall complexity of the social system, but does not entail the metacommunication that would make possible the self-observation and self-reference of the social system as a whole.