Theses against systems theory

1.
Systems theory is based on an analogy, it is essentially speculative, not empirical. The image of a system is not a concept of social processes, but a metaphor for them. The traits that are ascribed to society via the use of this concept fail to describe living societies.

2.
Systems theory implicitly treats social processes as if they were static arrangements of elements. It aims to explain why social systems do not change. In fact social systems change constantly. To overcome this irreducible difference, systems theory abstracts. The abstraction we are left with it in the end is at once robust - formulating general functions that can not be argued against - and fragile - being applicable to all societies, it is hardly applicable to any of them.

3.
Systems theory does not have a concept to describe communication. It is the theory of computer circuits, not of living society. Communication in society is inherently polysemic, the meaning of every utterance is dependant upon the social context it is used in. When Luhmann talks about "communication" he belabours the word with a meaning that is completely foreign to it. What he actually talks about is merely signal.

4.
What systems theory tells us is that there are certain societies that have managed to survive, because they were able to fulfil certain basic functions. In doing this it sets base survival as the highest goal of human striving. Its basic tendency becomes obvious: "No, you must not believe everything to be true, merely necessary."

5.
It is not particular functions that ought to be questioned, it is the totality of systems theory. As a good dialectic once put it: "The whole is untrue."