Self-Producing Systems

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvii

   PDF

2. The Development of Autopoiesis

   1. The Development of Autopoiesis

      • John Mingers

      Pages 1-5

3. Autopoiesis In The Physical Domain

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 7-7

      PDF

   2. The Organization of Living Systems

      • John Mingers

      Pages 9-28

   3. The Implications of Autopoiesis

      • John Mingers

      Pages 29-48

   4. Mathematics and Models for Autopoiesis

      • John Mingers

      Pages 49-63

4. Theories Of Cognition

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 65-65

      PDF

   2. The Organization of the Nervous System

      • John Mingers

      Pages 67-71

   3. Language and the Emergence of the Observer

      • John Mingers

      Pages 73-84

   4. Philosophical Implications

      • John Mingers

      Pages 85-116

5. Applications Of Autopoiesis

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 117-117

      PDF

   2. Autopoietic Organizations and Social Systems

      • John Mingers

      Pages 119-152

   3. Law as an Autopoietic System

      • John Mingers

      Pages 153-169

   4. Family Therapy

      • John Mingers

      Pages 171-183

   5. Information Systems, Cognitive Science, and Artificial Intelligence

      • John Mingers

      Pages 185-201

6. Conclusions

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 203-203

      PDF

   2. Conclusions

      • John Mingers

      Pages 205-216

7. Back Matter

   Pages 217-246

   PDF

John Mingers' new volume, Self-Producing Systems: Implications and Ap­ plications of Autopoiesis, is a much-needed reference on autopoiesis, a subject penetrating many disciplines today. I can genuinely say that I enjoyed reading the book as it took me stage by stage through a clear and easy-to-grasp understanding of the concepts and ideas of auto­ poiesis and then, as the book's title suggests, on through their applica­ tions. I found the summary in Chapter 12 particularly useful, helping to crystalize the main points of each chapter. The book conveyed enthusi­ asm for the subject and stimulated my interest in it. At times the book is demanding, but only because of the breadth of the subject matter, the terms and concepts associated with its parts, and the challenge of keep­ ing hold of all this in the mind at once. This is an exceptional text. ROBERT L. FLOOD Hull, UK Preface In recent years Maturana's and Varela's concept of autopoiesis, origi­ nally a biological concept, has made a remarkable impact not just on a single area, but across widely differing disciplines such as sociology, policy science, psychotherapy, cognitive science, and law. Put very briefly, the term autopoiesis connotes the idea that certain types of sys­ tems exist in a particular manner-they are self-producing systems. In their operations they continuously produce their own constituents, their own components, which then participate in these same production pro­ cesses.

• artificial intelligence
• information system
• organization
• philosophy

`A much-needed reference on autopoiesis...I enjoyed reading the book as it took me stage by stage through a clear and easy-to-grasp understanding of the concepts and ideas of autopoiesis...on through their applications....an exceptional text.'
from the Foreword by Robert L. Flood

• University of Warwick, Coventry, England, UK

  John Mingers

Policies and ethics