Søren Brier
The main theme of this issue is to present an elementary introduction on a high level of the work of Niklas Luhmann. His work is interesting for the subject of this journal, because he is using second order cybernetics in a general systems theory framework to understand social communication.
With his main focus on social-communicative systems using the works of von Foerster, Maturana and Varela as important building blocks and with the old European philosophical tradition in the back of his head his huge work represents the most comprehensive, synthetic and highly creative theoretical architecture within second order cybernetics.
The first paper: "Why Systems Theory" is a translation of an introduction to his main ideas that was first published in Danish. It is skilfully translated by Lars Qvortrup. Still it is a very dense paper. Ole Thyssen has therefore produced a paper which introduces and attempts to clarify "some basic notions" of Luhmann's. Further we have managed to get a short interview with Luhmann recently, where he argues for his approach. In the final paper of this section Thyssen himself has developed Luhmann's second order concept of morality in the context of organizations. We thank Niklas Luhmann for giving and correcting the interview and for the right to publish the English translation of his paper. Ole Thyssen is co-editor of this theme.
In the praxis section Ranulph Glanville continues his column on the concept of control in cybernetics. Finally the issue ends with Robert Theobald's presentation of how to put some of the ideas of learning and self-organization into fruitful practice which will turn the tides of the negative development of our culture.
We welcome Ranulph Glanville in the editorial board and Geoffrey C. Bowker, Hanne Albrechtsen, J.L. Elohim, and Steen Hildebrandt among the consultant editors.
The artist of this issue is Søren Elgaard.
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