| Abstract: | The controversy about the foundations of Sociology between Hartmut Esser und exponents of the sociologic systems theory hasn't yet been satisfactorily settled. A basic reason for this point is that there is no systematic analysis from a distant comparative point of view, of what in the conceptions of Esser and Luhmann is meant by ?social“ as their central topic. The consequence is a debate in which both their social theories are discussed in a limited and superficial way. To avoid this kind of limitations and to come to a fruitful dispute, the theories have to be discussed comparatively starting with Esser's ?Model of Sociological Explanation“ and with Luhmann's concept of ?social system“. Starting with such a systematic comparison, not only deficits of the controversy can be detected, but essential problems and errors of the approaches become visible too. From such a starting point something else can be developed: that the controversial positions of their conceptualizing, of what they understand to be the central topic of Sociology, is much less different than is supposed to be. The proposed method can also be used to validate Esser's claim to have integrated in his conception the various theories of Sociology. |
