INDIVIDUAL
Charles François (2004). INDIVIDUAL, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 1637.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1637 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Human sciences |
LUHMANN defines an individual (or person) as a “social identification of a complex of expectations oriented through a single man”(1984, p. 286), and a person is “a structure in the autopoiesis of social systems ”(1990, p. 33)
These quite abstract definitions show the very special position of the individual, who is in structural coupling simultaneously with his/her environment , with his/her society and him/her self.
These same characteristics can also be observed in animal societies (migratory locusts, termites, ants, bees, etc) But in these cases it would be very questionable to name individuals as persons, because of the scant development of their brains .