Autopoiesis
Construct Definition
Autopoiesis refers to how entities recreate themselves and their world. It can help us relate to life and individuality. Autopoiesis literally means "self-making", the terms invented by Chilean biologists (Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela - 1980; 1987). One way of expressing the importance of such work is to relate it to our human bodies - the atoms in our body's changes completely over a number of years, yet, despite this complete "overhaul" we still remain who we are? We certainly do not feel different as time goes by, despite our very constitution having changed completely, in fact, not a single atom is the same, yet we have a sense of "self" and our earlier memories - this is the extent of what autopoiesis can mean to us. Self-organisation (autopoietic theory) has become a hugely popular theme especially in relation to human social activity, organisations, and information technology (IT). The term self-organization, after decades of specialist interests, has become an increasingly popular label for phenomena, which appear to determine their own form and processes.