Re‐inventing the already punctured wheel: reflections on a seminar with Humberto Maturana

Three central themes of Maturana's work ‐ autopoiesis, the biology of cognition, and cybernetic ontology – are examined. Evidence is offered that Maturana's treatment of these themes is either unoriginal or flawed. The uncritical acceptance of Maturana's work by family therapists raises questions about the maturity of their discipline, especially in so far as many practitioners claim an understanding of cybernetics.