Page 181 - 《社会》2025年第5期

社会·2025·5

The Program of Sociological Enlightenment in Social Systems
Theory:An Examination Centered on Luhmann’s 1967 Inaugural
Lecture
ZHOU Zhongxian
Abstract：Niklas Luhmann’s social systems theory contains an implicit orientation
toward a sociological enlightenment aimed at observing and describing functionally
differentiated society through the theories and methods of sociology. This paper,
taking Luhmann’s 1967 Inaugural Lecture（Soziologische Aufkl覿rung） as its guiding
thread, systematically examines his program of sociological enlightenment. The
importance of this manuscript lies in its establishment of the tone and direction for
Luhmann’s later development of social systems theory. It marks not only his
declaration of a shift from empirical research to theoretical exploration but also
provides a key to understanding his social systems theory. Firstly， the 1967
Inaugural Lecture outlines Luhmann’s exploration of replacing subject鄄oriented
rationality with system鄄oriented rationality in sociological enlightenment. It serves
not only as a“manifesto” for social systems theory but also demonstrates Luhmann’s
ambition to construct a grand theory of society based on social systems. Secondly，
to overcome the limitations of traditional functionalist systems theory， Luhmann
transforms Parsons’ structure鄄function system theory by employing a functional鄄
structural system model. Epistemologically， this shift replaces the whole/part system
paradigm with the system/environment paradigm， addressing the issue of societal
complexity as a theoretical concern. Methodologically， it seeks to maximize the
abstract potential of different system categories and extends system comparison to
encompass as diverse a range of systems as possible. This paradigm seeks a new
starting point for sociological self鄄understanding. Finally， the theoretical ambition of
sociological enlightenment is not only a reflection on practical relevance but also a
comprehensive theoretical reflection on social systems， which demands that social
theory possesses the capacity for interdisciplinary connections and the ability to
reflect on the theories of other functional areas in society. This provides an
alternative perspective for understanding functionally differentiated societies and the
positioning of sociological theory.
Keywords：Niklas Luhmann，social system，sociological enlightenment，reduction of
complexity

社会学现在正处于一个理论危机。 一个整体而言成功了
的经验研究已经增加我们的知识， 但却无法引领我们建立一

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