This article shows my reflection caused by the impact that had on my scientific, epistemological and pedagogical, design the reading of the work of the prestigious biologist, philosopher and epistemologist Chilean Humberto Maturana. Outlines the thinking of Maturana and its implications for science, epistemology, and above all for education. In this article I reveal the ontology, epistemology, and the living systems theory proposed by Maturana. The main concepts, proposals and scientific categories that underlie its research, mainly the autopoiesis are analyzed in detail. That is why in this article discusses his way of dealing with the epistemological problems related with autopoiesis and living systems determined by its structure. This article provides a comprehensive reading, a configurative look and a holistic understanding of the philosophical thought of Humberto Maturana, and in this sense is valued the autopoiesis as the Foundation of research.

Key words: humberto maturana, science, philosophy, epistemology, theory of living systems, autopoiesis, human experience.

The present paper introduces two documents written separately by Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela, which describe their early scientific and intellectual collaboration in the formulation of the idea of autopoiesis and reflect on how that idea impacted on the wider intellectual community up to the mid-1990s. The paper invites consideration of these papers in the context of the history of science as a rich narrative as to the way in which social, personal and historical factors deeply impact on any such work.

Key words: autopoiesis, constitution of the living, systemic, structural determinism, biology of cognition, epistemology, enaction

Checkland and Maturana’s work aim to understand and to improve problematic situations in organisations and in our everyday life. Maturana’s phenomenological onto-epistemology (we are immersed in the praxis of living in an ontological multi-universe) seems to resonate with Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) interpretivist epistemology. We argue that this concurrence makes it possible to reflect and explore some of Maturana’s ideas (structural determinism/ structural coupling/organisational closure) when they are grafted into the phases of the Checkland’s SSM seven-step process. This article aims to complement SSM by proposing a framework in which some key concepts from Maturana’s Ontology of the Observer (OoO) might enhance and expand the understanding of the SSM application process. An enriched and enhanced SSM process could have significant consequences in the Management Science/Operational Research (MS/OR) and Systems community practice. The framework proposed can have major social repercussions since it will incorporate the well-known influential OoO ideas into MS/OR practice.

Key words: problem structuring, dialogue between two approaches, soft systems methodology, ontology of the observer, methodology enhancing.

Today in the scientific circle Humberto Romensin Maturana is considered the creator of the so-called Santiago School of Biology (also known as Biology of Cognition). Biology of Cognition is a research programme seeking an explanation of the phenomenon of cognitive functions of living organisms through the concepts of self-organization (from dynamical systems theory) and structural coupling (from cybernetics). Maturana’s novel view is based upon research conducted with such prominent scientists like Warren McCulloch, Francisco J. Varela or Heinz von Foerster. After many years of study of complex organic systems the research resulted in formulation of the following theories: autopoiesis of living systems (with F. J. Varela) and the evolutionary metaphor of natural drift (with J. Mpodozis). Theory of autopoiesis (self-production) shows how organic cells organize themselves in producing inner organic self components needed for maintaining homeostatis, natural barriers and remaining cognitive at the molecular level. By contrast, the metaphor of natural drift can be understood as the history of diversification and adaptation of species in relation to many structural levels of the environment. The following article constitutes a brief introduction to a critical way of thinking of the said Chilean theoretical biologist and philosopher, established during his long-lasting research. The paper will outline the basic concepts and theoretical implications relevant to modern biological sciences, with particular emphasis on the classical theory of evolution.

Key words: Santiago School of Biology, self-organization, principles of biological autonomy, structural coupling, enactive approach.

Excerpt: Humberto R. Maturana, Jahrgang 1928, studierte zunächst Medizin in Chile, dann Anatomie in England, promovierte 1958 in Biologie an der Harvard University und arbeitete danach am Massachussets Institute of Technology (MIT). 1960 kehrte er – unterbrochen von gelegentlichen Forschungsaufenthalten im Ausland – an die Universität von Santiago de Chile zurück. Besonders bekannt wurde er durch die von ihm seit dem Ende der 60er Jahre entwickelte Theorie der Autopoiesis (Selbsterschaffung). Sie liefert ein neuartiges Merkmal des Lebendigen, das über die herkömmlichen Kriterien der Biologie – Fortpflanzung, Bewegung etc. – hinausgeht. Das Lebendige, so Humberto R. Maturana, zeichnet sich von der Amöbe bis zum Menschen durch seine zirkuläre, seine autopoietische Organisationsform aus: Lebende Systeme bilden ein Netzwerk von internen und zirkulär verwobenen Produktionsprozessen, das sie zu einer abgrenzbaren Einheit macht, indem sie sich beständig selbst erzeugen und sich auf diese Weise erhalten. Autopoietische Systeme sind autonom. Was in ihnen geschieht und was in sie überhaupt einzudringen und sie anzuregen, zu stören oder auch zu zerstören vermag, ist wesentlich durch ihre eigene zirkuläre Organisation bestimmt.

The theory of cognition of Varela and Maturana differs in specific aspects from constructivist theories and so should not be seen or interpreted as another form of constructivism. To encourage the emergence of a discussion on important differences between both theories, this paper aims at highlighting three of these specific aspects, namely the biological roots of cognition, its phylogenic and ontogenic basis, and the nature of reality and knowledge. In many regards, it is possible that the first two points were seen as extensions of constructivism, and had not been theorized previously as distinctions, as is done in the paper. The third point concerning the ideas of “bringing forth a world” represents a clear conceptual shift from the visions inherent in constructivism, and should not be neglected in discussions on epistemology and the nature of knowledge and reality. This third fundamental point brings us to see Varela and Maturana as being different than constructivists, rather seeing them as “bring forthists.”

C. West Churchman and Humberto Maturana share similar cultural traditions involving frustrations with applying conventional systematic methods in domains of social systems design (Churchman) and neurobiology (Maturana). They have independently of each other developed a rich systemic framework of analysis based on a constructivist epistemology. But there appears to have been little correspondence between the two traditions. This paper explores six possible areas of congruence between the critical systemic perspective associated with Churchman and Maturana’s autopoiesis. This initial sketch reveals possible ways forward in applying ideas of autopoiesis to our social world through a more constructive and adaptive conversation with the works of Churchman.

Key words: autopoiesis, critical systemic.

This work attempts to present the most important contributions of Humberto R. Maturana to the field of psychology, in an effort to reveal them directly. The main conclusion is that Maturana has expanded the understanding of humanness and therapy through revealing the biology of the observer.