Το αέναο παιγνίδι των διαφορών

Abstract

Two theses proposed by Ulrich Beck led to the writing of this article: the first concerns the inadequacy of the codified binary differences (developed during the past years by various social thinkers) to explain the operations of social systems; the second deals with the need to replace the traditional sociological approaches based on binary oppositions with a more flexible and pluralistic one guided by the principle of complementarity. In proposing that ‘difference’ is a relation that articulates axiomatically complementarity, the study moves on to a theoretical review of the notion of difference both from the perspective of 2nd order Cybernetics and the Luhmann’s theory of social systems. After commenting critically on the advantages and disadvantages of systems approach, and showing agreement with Beck’s critique of the mono-dimensional character of Luhmann’s binary coding, it proposes the following argument: instead of rejecting differences (a lather impossible task), the sociological analysis should direct itself to observe the multiple differences which intertwined harmoniously in valued axes could offer to the social systems the necessary elements for their differentiation and reproduction. Finally, in proposing discursive practices as the medium for social systems, the paper suggests that such practices are also the locus for the appearance of the observers -namely, those capable of making choices. It could be that discursive practices operate on the basis of differences, but one can also see that, because such practices include the human need for collaboration and sociability, they allow enough space for the human will to enter into the game of differences.