Technology, environment and social risk: a systems perspective

Luhmann, N., 1990. Technology, environment and social risk: a systems perspective. Industrial Crisis Quarterly, 4: 223-231. The paper pleads for conceptual changes in the ways we describe modem society. We may use the same words, but should replace the antonyms or re define their contexts. Technology can be conceived of as being not primarily a proven relation of cause and effect, but rather as a simplification within a causal context, a simplification that has its own consequences. Risk is not simply the lack of safety, but rather the possible damage that may result from one's own decisions. The antonym of risk, then, would be danger as possible damage stemming from external sources. Steering (or public policy) can be conceived as generating differences in order to minimize other differences, rather than controlling the state of the system.