Understanding and rethinking identity through Luhmann’s system theory

Abstract

This paper develops a systems-theoretical approach to identity by integrating Luhmann’s theory of autopoietic systems with philosophical insights from Hegel, Frege, Kripke, and Lowe. The central claim is that identity is not a fixed property or metaphysical essence, but an emergent, recursive product of systemic operations such as observation, distinction, condensation, and confirmation. This reconceptualization shifts the focus from static notions of “what something is” to dynamic processes of “how identity is constructed and stabilized.” Luhmann’s position resonates with Lowe’s claim about the primitiveness of numerical identity, while reframing it within a theory of meaning and communication. Applying this framework to personal identity reveals how social systems produce and stabilize identity through paradoxical mechanisms. Rather than resolving contradictions, systems theory treats them as generative, allowing for a nuanced understanding of identity as contingent, constructed, and context-dependent. The implications extend to legal and migration contexts, where systemic operations produce recognizable identity categories with social consequences.