Niklas Luhmann

Niklas Luhmann (December 8, 1927 – November 11, 1998) was a German sociologist, philosopher of social science, and systems theorist. He is considered one of the most influential German sociologists of the 20th century. Luhmann developed a functionalist-oriented systems theory, which claims to be able to describe all social phenomena in a theoretically consistent language. He viewed social systems as communication contexts that have autonomy from the actors involved. His work is characterized by its complexity and extensive scope, covering subjects such as law, economy, politics, art, religion, ecology, mass media, and love. His theory has been particularly influential in German sociology and has also been received in other parts of the world, though its complexity has made translation and widespread understanding challenging.