Complexity and simplicity in self-knowledge of society

Abstract

The notion of “complexity of the observer of complexity” (construct- ed by V.I.Arshinov) makes non-trivial effects in the area of self-knowledge of society. Society may be considered as subject that comprehends its own complexity. “Second-order cybernetics” as well as “first-order cybernetics” is relevant to this area. Science and humanities should take more important part in self-knowledge of society. The obstacles to this are created by those methods of evaluation of effectiveness of science and humanities that reduce one’s contribution to science to the contribution to mass of publications in English.