The Construction of Reality: a Comparative Analysis of the Concepts of Luhmann and Baudrillard.

This research project deals with the comparison of two conceptual approaches, the theory of social systems by N. Luhmann and the theory of communication by J. Baudrillard. The common ground for comparing ideas is the consideration of reality through the prism of media reality. Keywords: Communication / society / reality of media / mass media / social system / social theory / simulacrum / mass communication / sign / symbol / simulacrum / hyperreality The main question of this study is «what is the media reality?» by Luhmann's method of observation and the method of critical analysis, proposed by Baudrillard. It is important to note that this study is based on an analysis of the theoretical concepts of two philosophers and sociologists, so this study is interdisciplinary. Luhmann is a representative of theoretical sociology and a creator of the theory of social systems. Throughout his life, he sought to answer the question of how society functions as a whole. In addition, analyzing the society, the sociologist considered the system of mass media. Mass media is one of the substructures of society. His work The Reality of the Mass Media (2005) is devoted to the question of the place and role of the mass media in the modern social system. In this study, we will examine and analyze this scientific work in the light of the problem of constructing reality by means of mass communication. Baudrillard identifies symbolic structures that describe the transformations of modern social reality. He criticizes postmodern culture and the new type of reality that it creates. The French philosopher created a system of understanding reality through the terms "simulacrum" and "hyperreality". Baudrillard concentrates exclusively on the analysis of the universe of signs, which includes not only the sphere of consumption, but also politics and production.