Helge Høibraaten: On Niklas Luhmann’s Communication theory
Strange and symphatetic
Ökologischer Kommunikation
Die Realitet der Massemedien
Sociologist? Because he didn’t want to be identified with certain themes of philosophy, such as ontology and meaning of life.
Phenomenologists such as Husserl, Heidegger
Mainly: theorists
1984: Social systems. Høibraaten realises that he cannot adhere to Luhmann’s theories completely.
About?
Theory of society
Social systems
His attempt to write a theory of society
A lawyer of education.
Fundamental rights as institution: Meaning of right can only be understood in the light of differentiated institutions.
Theory of socity as differentiation of institutions
University of Bielefeld:
(1967) Asked for a research topic: “I want to write a theory of society.” Timespan: 30 years.
1997: The society of society
Society in modern times is functionally differentiated.
No longer only politics, religion. These are only parts of society, as they once were.
Law another sub-system. The economy. Science. Mass media. The school system. Art.
Autonomous systems.
Luhmann not concerned with whether these are the only sub-systems (such as Hegel: family, civil society, state).
These are really empirical questions. Not the point really.
Talcot Parsons
Main theoretical inspiration
Modern differentiation new in the sense:
As opposed to segmentary differentiation: such as family and state
Traditional differentiation – not very complex. Simple and light segmentation.
Modern differention is functional.
Differention of strata (Marx diff. into strata): unlike units. Moreover a hierachy differention.
Societies that are described as being stratified, have something like functionalisation, but: tend to become monopolised by the upper strata.
Functional diff. goes together with an assumption: any other sub-system, you can find two kinds of roles: work-roles and side-roles:
AnyAll
PoliticianVoter
MinisterLayman
LawyerLegal subjet
Work rolesSide roles
The presumption in modern society is a quality.
Does he thus deny the allegations of Marx?
The principle of differentiation has the lead in modern societies. These are linked to these roles and the sub-systems. None of the sub-systems have a priority. Does not mean that there cannot be differences in society. No functional elite (as in the stratified society).
On communication media
A code on its own for each sub-system
Transcendence and immanence
Law: Recht and unrecht/ Legality and non-legality
Science: True and false
Politics: Government and opposition
The communication media are the most central traits of these functional sub-systems.
The codes really show that these sub-systems are worlds of their own
The codes are differences with two values.
Modern societies are characterised by difference of differences.
Symbolic communication systems
Mass media are one of the sub-systems:
***
Is Luhmann normative: it seems that he’s rather positive about the modern, differentiated society as there seems to be a claim that these sub-systems are independent of each other and that the society is not stratified. The modern soceity seems to be presented as ideal.
Hans Kelsten:
Adherent of his positivism. Really?
No morals are put into the theory. Not a priori, but based on empirical matters.
Implicit normative dimension.
Programs
In addition to codes there are programs within all sub-systems.
Scientific programs
Research
Justice
Politics
Terje continues
The codes are semantic
Codes as products of differentiation. Made more clever and reflexive. Codes that learn how to learn and creates paths for the future.
makes possible to be reflexive about themselves.
Change: New kinds of differentiation.
Ex: Differentions and recombinations within scientific semantics.
Reflexive as in looking back and adjusting future paths.
More a theory of evolution than a theory of sudden change. Not really a theory of conflict.