Sisteemteorie en die sosiologie

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Abstract
Systems theory and sociology. Modern systems theory is characterized by its concern for structural wholes which are constituted by interacting elements or parts. Although the implied whole/part relation is useful wherever one can apply it meaningfully, systems theory tried to expand the use of this notion beyond the limits of its tenable use. The primary spatial meaning of the whole/part relation must be kept in mind if one tries to expand its use to other modal aspects and to differently structured entities in reality. The inherent limitations of the whole/part relation become evident when systems theory is applied to sociology. This application is mostly mediated by the spatial analogy in the biotical aspect of reality. The functional analysis of Parsons, for example, explicitly uses this mediation in its analysis of action systems. It is partly connected with the problems which he encounters in his attempt to imitate Galilei’s law of inertia. Furthermore, the way in which he uses his (biologistically inspired) four-function-paradigm prevents his analysis to grasp the truly distinctive features of the social ‘(sub)systems’ which he analyses. S. Afr. J. Sociol. 1985, 16(1): 1–8

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