The concept of autopoiesis was originally developed by the Chilean scientists Varela and Maturana. It is a term of Greek derivation and means self (auto) production (poiesis) (Smith, 1982). The main argument of autopoiesis theory is that living systems are created in an autonomous, simultaneously open and closed, self-referencing, and observing manner. Autopoiesis theory conceives living systems as being continually self-reproducing in terms of the processes that made them (Maturana, 1991). So, they everything the system needs for self-production is already in the system. The system’s production of components does not depend on an input-output relationship with the environment.
The interrelations between components of the system define a unity. While over time an autopoietic system changes its components its organization is maintained. When the organization is changed a new system with a new identity is formed. Main characteristics of autopoietic systems are (Varela & Maturana, 1991):
- Autonomy: This means self-control/ self-law. So, a system is autonomous if it can specify its own laws. So, unlike mechanistic systems, components and processes are realized as unities. They are not specified through input/output relations like in a computer.
- Simultaneously open and closed: Changes in autopoietic systems are induced by independent events and structural changes occur to compensate for these changes. These perturbations stimulate processes in the system itself that follows the self-defined rules of the system. The environment can never control or determine these changes. So, the system is open to energy, but closed to control. Information is continuously constructed rather than being solely a representation.
- Self-referential: This means that the knowledge collected by the system about itself affects its structure and operation. In contrast, non-living systems have a different relating operation to the inputs given.
Since its introduction, autopoiesis theory has gradually evolved into a general systems theory which can be utilized in various different fields. Its development in understanding social systems is intertwined with seeing systems as adapting to their environment. Through its biological roots, autopoiesis theory focuses on processes and relations between processes rather than on properties of components (Morgan, 1986). Whether we like it or not, we are autopoietic systems as well.
